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Health Minister Simon Harris PA Images

Simon Harris says everything cannot go ‘back to normal’ after Easter Sunday

The health minister also said he is concerned about the nation’s mental health.

HEALTH MINISTER SIMON Harris has said restrictions put on people to tackle the Covid-19 outbreak cannot stay in place for very long and he is concerned about the nation’s mental health.

The restrictions will remain in place for the next two weeks until Easter Sunday when they will be reviewed.

Under the restrictions, people are only allowed to leave their home for essential work, to buy food, attend medical appointments, vital family reasons or to take exercise within 2km of their home.

Harris told radio station FM104 he is unsure when the restrictions will remain in place until but hopes some progress is made by Easter Sunday.

“Will the measure be extended beyond Easter Sunday? I’ve got to be truthful, I don’t know. I think these measures are so restrictive and significant that you cannot leave them in place for a very long time.

“The judgement call our doctors had to make was, what is the right time to bring these measures in? So what we’re planning to do is going intensively at this now for a couple of weeks so that when we get to Easter Sunday we can see some progress.

“Everything can’t go back to normal – it would be a complete fantasy to think that would happen. This virus will be with us for many months but is there some things we can lift on Easter Sunday? That is what we are all hoping.”

Mental health 

Harris said the situation is “bloody tough”. In terms of children not being at school, he said: “The novelty of having a couple of days off school have long worn off. It was like the first day of the snow when everyone was happy to be home. On the second day they were getting a bit bored and on the third day they wanted out of their houses.

“It is tough for families at home – kids are off school and climbing the walls.”

health-coronavirus PA Graphics PA Graphics

Harris continued: “These measures are tough but we are doing them to save lives because we don’t want to go the way of Italy where almost 1,000 people died in one day. We wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t absolutely serious.

People in Ireland are really pulled together at the moment but there is something I am worried about beyond the coronavirus and that is people’s mental health. It is not normal what we are asking people to do.

“All of us miss friends, family and we like meeting up and the odd hug, going to the pub and having a pint and meeting your friends.

“I don’t want to sound naff when I say this but we all need to be kinder to each other. The next two weeks are going to be tough but the prize is huge. If we get this right, we’re going to look back at this time where we lived through this weird time and couldn’t go more than 2km from our house to walk the dog and so on.

“Without worrying people, there is always more steps we can take but at the moment there isn’t a sheet in the department with a load of more measures we can take. What we have done is pretty serious and significant. It has effectively suspended normal life for people right across the country.”

‘The best of Ireland, but some idiots’  

Harris praised Irish people for their efforts during the crisis.

“People are making a big effort and it has really shown the best of Ireland. We have seen so many people step forward and say I want to help.

“I don’t want to over-egg it but we have seen some annoying behaviour where gardaí have been spat at on the street and this stupid thing called the corona challenge where people go and cough in people’s faces.

You will get idiots in every situation but the overwhelming majority of Irish people have been amazing.

The minister will meet nursing home officials this afternoon to discuss new measures to tackle Covid-19 in nursing homes.

In a message on Twitter last night, Harris said he was worried about the prevalence of the the virus among older people.

According to Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) data, Covid-19 clusters were reported in three residential settings and 17 nursing homes,

The nursing home clusters account for 22% of the total number of clusters outbreaks in the Republic.

CEO of Nursing Homes Ireland Tadhg Daly told RTÉ radio: “We’re somewhat concerned the HSE is still recruiting people from our sector and one of our asks of the minister today will be to desist recruiting people who are already working on the frontline.

“This is a national effort and we need a national response. People who applied to the On Call initiative should be made available to the nursing home sector if and when required.”

Yesterday 10 more deaths from Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland were announced, bringing the total death toll to 46 people. The median age of the deaths is 77.

The National Public Health Emergency Team also confirmed 200 new cases of the virus in Ireland, bringing the total number of cases here to 2,615.

The Chinese ambassador in Ireland said he and his staff at the Embassy are helping to organise the millions of euro worth of protective equipment for healthcare workers in Ireland.

The first of dozens of flights from China carrying consignments of personal protective equipment (PPE) landed in Dublin yesterday.

Speaking to Morning Ireland, He Xiangdong said: “The airports in Beijing and Shanghai are terribly busy with all the cargo flights from abroad.

“I think the supply chain in China is under huge pressure, we will do our best for all the world.

“I think the HSE procurement department is working closely with the supplier in China. We will try and do our best together to make sure all the PPE will abide by the standards.”

With reporting by Órla Ryan

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    Mute Eoin Molloy
    Favourite Eoin Molloy
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:55 PM

    I work in a fast food restaurant. I get deducted for my uniform and for food (that I dont’t eat) every week. These deductions are mandatory. After tax and deductions, I make 7.29 per hour. So a 40 hour week is 291.60. Hardly enough to keep up with rent/car costs etc.

    200
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    Mute bandido
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    May 23rd 2014, 7:31 PM

    How they justify deductions for food you don’t eat?
    Does it work on the assumption that it is there so you “could” eat it?

    82
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    Mute Alan Dunne
    Favourite Alan Dunne
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    May 23rd 2014, 9:42 PM

    Just get smart and rob the till it ‘s easy to do!

    34
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    Mute Con O'sullivan
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:06 PM

    A McStrike

    164
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    Mute no good names
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    May 23rd 2014, 7:16 PM

    @con haha classic

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    Mute Michael Cunningham
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    May 23rd 2014, 8:45 PM

    I think people will pay a little more if they know the workers are paid better.

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    Mute Michael Cunningham
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    May 23rd 2014, 8:49 PM

    But it’s cheeky to think that cost of pay increase should be passed onto the customer when millions in profits are made worldwide.

    46
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    Mute Dolph
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:08 PM

    Fair play, this needs to happen in Ireland too, lots of employers taking the piss.

    163
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    Mute Sargon
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:17 PM

    But you are forgetting that in Ireland, customer service is uselessand many of them can barely speak English

    66
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    Mute Pierce2020
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:20 PM

    or indeed spell “uselessand”

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    Mute Richard boyle
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:21 PM

    Or punctuate

    91
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    Mute Bobby
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:34 PM

    Average wage paid by McDonalds in Ireland is €13.05/ $17.80. Average salary for Managers in McDonalds Ireland earn up to €40k. That’s why you pay from 30% more for food in McDonalds.

    68
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    Mute Sargon
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:39 PM

    Is uselessand not a word?? Wow, thanks for correcting me guys. Do you mean punctuation like full stops at the end of sentences?

    27
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    Mute Dan Harrington
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    May 23rd 2014, 7:51 PM

    @Bobby where did you get those figures from? Bein a long standin McWorker myself, I can tell you that they are way, way off.
    Thats not to say the pay isn’t reasonable, but quite frankly, your talkin s###e.

    55
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    Mute Thomas Bowen
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    May 23rd 2014, 7:56 PM

    Was 8.65 last time I checked

    33
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    Mute Bobby
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    May 23rd 2014, 8:00 PM

    Nope, look it up you will find in online. My nephew works in a McDonalds in North Dublin after college, he started off on €10 an hour. People that work in that restaurant 3 years plus are on €13 plus an hour. They say McDonalds is the 5th best employer in Ireland.

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    Mute Keith Murray
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    May 24th 2014, 11:15 AM

    Mcshite that is!!

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    Mute Paddy Mac
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:23 PM

    They’re lovin it!

    112
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    Mute Stephen Murphy
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    May 23rd 2014, 7:38 PM

    What are their profits?

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    Mute Stephen Murphy
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    May 23rd 2014, 7:42 PM
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    Mute Peter Martin
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:21 PM

    Pub grub is the answer. For 6 euros you can have roast beef gravy mashed potatoes roast potatoes carrots etc. … ie a real dinner. What you get in Mc Donalds for the same money is a carton of chips a coke and an icecream thingy…..ie crap food. Yet Mc Donalds are always full while the pub is empty. Support your nearest pub and vote independents ok!!!

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    Mute anthony mcloughlin
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:25 PM

    What has that got to do with McDonald’s workers wages ?

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    Mute Neal Ireland
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:31 PM

    Anthony the idea is to not support a sector that treats it’s workers like that.

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    Mute Bobby
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:38 PM

    Wait until Wetherspoons open in Ireland. I had a 10oz Steak with chips, mushroom, onions, tomato, peas and a pint of beer for £6.35 and that’s in London. Even cheaper outside of London.

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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    May 23rd 2014, 7:39 PM

    It will be dounle that when they come to Ireland.

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    Mute mjhint
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    May 23rd 2014, 7:48 PM

    Bobby your welcome to it. I deliver to these restaurants & I will not eat their bland sh#t food. As for the pub grub not much better. If you knew what you’re eating you wouldn’t pay. Frozen process food of the quality dished out by McDonald’s.

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    Mute PicassoRepublic
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    May 23rd 2014, 8:03 PM

    Bobby – some dream of a uniform high street with a Boots Chemist, TK Maxx, Vodafone, Clintons Cards, Tesco Express, Carphone Warehouse, Barretts Shoes and now a Wetherspoons.

    Am I one of the few who would pay just a little more to reverse this country becoming a little Britland?

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    Mute Katie Collins
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    May 23rd 2014, 8:10 PM

    Yeah ‘food’ that gives you palpitations and dizziness after a burger from the Euro saver menu…

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    Mute Bobby
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    May 23rd 2014, 9:33 PM

    When it comes to having a McDonalds, B.K or a steak and chips with a beer for £6.35 I know which one id prefer.

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    Mute Robert Zombies
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:09 PM

    €18 muted in Switzerland last week , $15 in the states, it may soon be not worth your while being stressed out and busting yer balls in a responsible job for a few a few quid more per month after tax.

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    Mute ChopperMc
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:05 PM

    Yea and how many cheeseburgers do they all get for free??? Can’t have it both ways

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    Mute Joanna
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:08 PM

    They don’t. If I recall its only a 10% discount for staff. So like…20c off a cheeseburger or something.

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    Mute Stink Eye
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:11 PM

    What a ridiculous comment. I’m sure they all want free cheese burgers in place of low wages?

    I love how McDonalds have control over everything in franchises, from design, menu, price of product, management structure, staff training procedures, customer service procedures but they don’t have control over minimum wage payments.

    Make it a condition of franchising.

    Also their margins are so high the talk of increasing the wage meaning an increase in prices is just bullshit.

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    Mute Neal Ireland
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:11 PM

    Yeah, they’re laughing all the way to the cheeseburger bank.

    41
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    Mute Fozz
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:20 PM

    “McDonald’s said any move to raise entry-level pay would raise overall costs and lead to higher menu prices”
    You can to the end of that sentence:
    “in order to maintain profit levels”.

    The mentality of a corp that makes money had over fist and yet is unable to share any of that with those who toil for those profits is pure greed.

    71
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    Mute Pierce2020
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:21 PM

    They give you a certain amount per hour worked

    10
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    Mute Emmet Purcell
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    May 23rd 2014, 11:46 PM

    None of the protestors jobs will exist in a few decades’ time, maybe less, due to the inevitability of full automated services. Some Chili’s and Applebee’s restaurants in the US now feature tablets for customers to use rather than waiters.

    The protestors haven’t a hope of having their demands met because they are easily replaceable (I worked minimum wage for years and I was too) and if anything, these types of protests will only speed up the path towards automation.

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    Mute Niall Condren
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    May 23rd 2014, 8:36 PM

    They should be protesting about the poison they’re selling everyone

    21
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    Mute Alan Seag
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    May 24th 2014, 4:40 AM

    Why? Its common knowledge that the ”food” they sell is questionable but no one is forced to consume it

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    Mute Niall Condren
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    May 24th 2014, 8:48 AM

    Well it’s worse than questionable and i never said anyone’s forced to do anything. Still, they target kids with their advertising and then serve them GMO burgers and a silicone nuggets.

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    Mute Frank
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    May 23rd 2014, 6:29 PM
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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    May 23rd 2014, 7:40 PM

    The land of the free, just as long as you dont protest.

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    Mute Robert Kastner
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    May 23rd 2014, 11:44 PM

    If fast food starts paying $15 dollars an hour I might look for work there. I have a degree and experience. Where are these fast food workers going to go now when people with more education and experience take over their jobs.
    Then when they go to $15 per hour how much do you think the food prices will rise?
    Now these people protesting won’t have a job and wont be able to eat out at fast food.
    Also right now fast food costs are already so close to full service sit down.
    So if I’m going to be paying that price I’d rather sit down and be served.
    Go back to school or stay in school so you can get a real job.

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    Mute md
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    May 24th 2014, 3:52 AM

    I thought most people that works at McD are usually young teens that works part time while in college. If they start at $15 they will start calling that their career.

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    Mute raymond connolly
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    May 24th 2014, 1:11 AM

    Want fries with that?

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    Mute roryboyle
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    May 24th 2014, 10:10 AM

    If they do not want to work for that money they can teach astrophysics at Harvard.

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