We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
LAST UPDATE | 22 Mar 2020
THE DEATH TOLL from coronavirus in the UK now stands at 281, the British government said this evening.
This represents 48 deaths in a 24-hour period – the biggest jump in deaths for the nation since the crisis began.
As of 9am today, 78,340 people had been tested for coronavirus in the UK, with 5,683 patients confirmed positive, the Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England said.
Speaking at the daily press conference at Downing Street, Boris Johnson said the government is ready to impose tougher restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus if people do not follow the guidance on social distancing.
The Prime Minister insisted that he did not want to close down access to parks and playgrounds because of the benefits to people’s mental and physical wellbeing.
But amid reports of crowds flocking to parks, beaches and beauty spots across the country, he said the government was ready to impose the kind of “tougher” measures adopted in other European countries if people did not behave responsibly.
Meanwhile, the NHS is to begin sending out letters to the 1.5 million people considered to be most at risk of the disease urging them to remain at home for the next 12 weeks.
At his daily No 10 news conference, Johnson – who has faced criticism for not acting faster to slow the spread of the virus – said ministers had already closed down whole swathes of the economy, shutting pubs, clubs and restaurants.
He said the government had always followed the scientific advice when it came to access to open spaces – but warned people needed to observe the guidance that they should not gather in groups and remain two metres apart.
“What they have always said so far is that the health benefits for the whole of society of keeping the parks and playgrounds open if we possibly can outweigh the epidemiological value of closing them,” he said.
But of course looking at the way people behave and the way they are responding, we keep that under constant, constant review. If people can’t make use of parks and playgrounds responsibly, if they can’t do it in a way that observes the two-metre rule then of course we are going to have to look at further measures.
“The general principle should be that we should all as far as we possibly can stay home, protect our NHS and thereby save lives.”
He added: “I don’t think you need to use your imagination very much to see where we might have to go, and we will think about this very very actively in the next 24 hours.”
The government later issued updated guidance on essential travel, saying it did not include visits to “second homes, camp sites, caravan parks or similar, whether for isolation purposes or holidays”.
Earlier, in a message to the nation, the Prime Minister warned Britain was only “two or three” weeks behind Italy where the death toll has already risen above 5,000 making it the worst outbreak anywhere in the world.
He said that unless the UK could control the spread of the virus through social distancing, the NHS would be “overwhelmed” in the same way that the Italian healthcare system had been.
However the deputy chief medical officer for England, Dr Jenny Harries, cautioned against comparing the UK’s figures too closely with other countries’.
“As you go through a sharp rise in numbers, which we will see going forward, you have to be careful to be comparing too precisely,” she said.
“We will look back in due course, sadly, and see the true number of people who have died from coronavirus.”
With reporting by PA
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
What a sensible young chap. Keep doing what your doing but don’t forget to have some fun!!
@Jen:
I can see the abuse starting up here soon.
Being sensible isn’t very popular around here.
@Patrick Nolan: Have you a better alternative? :)
@Jen: correct
This depresses the life out of me! 24 year old lad working and only out for a few drinks on a Thursday night. Giving up a life of fun and travel to save for a mortgage the minute he left college…missinf out on life at a young age when he will he will he staying in and skint enough when he has a mortgage and a family.
@Blah blah: he’ll Coast nicely through life imo
@Alan Flannery: yes but he is sensible and old before his time! I have kids a mortgage and I’m constantly saving and budgeting and worrying, like this lad….but I had fun in my 20s so i dont feel like im missing out now. He begrudged going out to a gaa night with his peers, he should be heading out a few nights a week with friends, having a laugh!
@Blah blah: he only earns €2100 net pm, between savings, rent and bills – he doesn’t have much left to spurge…
He has clear set goals, being sensible now is going to pay off well long term.
@Blah blah: agreed. He’s not living at all. Just warming up to be a slave to a bank till he’s 55. If his salary is going to double by the time he’s 30 then he’s nuts not to be travelling and exploring, going to gigs, or whatever.
@Jack: I think you missed the bit in his budget where he’s set aside a decent monthly amount for travel. He does have travel plans but is being sensible enough to save for it first, rather than go blindly spending a holiday loan, getting into debt and then not achieving his long term goals.
I traveled most of Europe when I was younger on cheap Ryanair flights, it doesn’t need to cost much. You don’t have to go to Australia for 6 weeks on your first excursion. If you’re flexible with dates and destinations and book well in advance, flights within Europe these days are an almost negligible cost.
Don’t mind the haters in this thread.. fair dues man, keep it up. But don’t forget to splash out every now and again
Kudoz to this sensible young man! Hits the nail on the head and speaks the truth,
Liking the grocerie break down, need to change my supermarket
Fair play young man and you play best game ever Gaelic Football
I feel sorry for this person.life is tough
Yikes! Respect. I was a million miles away from that and his age and to be honest still now. It’s unusual in someone so young but you gotta take your hat off to him. Still.. hope it’s not too late to have fun once he gets his house. Guess we shouldn’t presume fun= going out and getting thrashed and being hungover for most of your 20’s
Good lad. Your good with money. Fair play. Wish when I was your age I done that.
@chris c: You’re good with money. I did that, not I done that.
@Desmond Lyons: dick
@Desmond Lyons: di ck
My time travelling after my masters and great times spent with friends are some of most cherished memories from mid to late 20s. Didn’t save much until I was almost 30 but fast forward 5 years and I’m married with anew born after buying our new build last year.
If you work hard hard and put the effort in saving you don’t need to sacrifice enjoying life like this poster at the age of 24. He doesn’t know what he’s missing out on. Actually feel sorry for the guy that the obsession buying a house means he’s missing on our those great years.
@Brian: I agree! Doesn’t have to travel the world, but maybe a few weekends away with friends, out to a gig during the week, a few drinks with mates, etc. There is enough worrying and stress when you have a mortgage and a family!
Start up the SSIA again, that would help a lot of people out.
He is only 24 years old. The world is his oyster, but no fulfilment. Do these contributors ever have good old fashioned joy or happiness in their lives? friends, family, after work courses? You are only 24. Give yourself some time to discover the world and come back when you are ready. Above all, make the most of your young life. You only have the one.
Fair play to the young man for being so organised but as others have said please be sure to have some fun while you’re young (it passes by so fast).
Reading this article does remind me though of the looming future of automation (be it a good thing or bad, I honestly don’t know). What’s in the cards for people in the next few years when more and more jobs will become automated? I know it may seem off topic but it’s really not.
An artificial intelligence expert who previously worked with Google recently said that 40% of all jobs would be lost within 15 years due to automation. That’s both incredible and terrifying.
I know there is talk of what’s called universal basic income where each citizen is given a certain amount of money each month but I don’t really understand how it would work, where does the money come from? I think there was talk of testing it in a couple of places in the US and Switzerland but I need to read up on it more.
One way or the other it will be interesting to see how it all pans out.
Gets a dishwasher, more time in bed and less piles of washing! I wasn’t overly enamoured with the last comment, while some of it is correct, I don’t think the next generation will be any different really, if not worse.
His monthly outgoings are 1890 on a net of 2100, leaving 210 euro spare for the month, and he has just spent 113 euro of that in one week. Leaving 97 euro spare for the month.
Stop these senseless articles
@Liam Kehoe: If you took the care to read thoroughly before commenting you’d see his groceries are included in the monthly breakdown of €1890 and included again in the sunday spend (probably to give readers an idea of diet). Presumably doesn’t go grocery shopping once a month. Would have spent €46 for the week and have been well on track if not for pints at his table quiz (€113-€(31-€36))
You can still travel and see the world when you are older and are stuck with a mortgage. Some people seem to think you have to fit everything into your 20′s before you settle down and then can’t do anything after that. I did lots of travelling and then saved for a few years to get a mortgage in my early 30′s. Now I’m able to travel as my wages have grown and the mortgage is cheaper than when I was renting.
I can understand all the saving for a house and that rent is dead money but not going to Coppers after 6pints is unforgivable.
Fair play to him, and he plays the best game ever, Gaelic Football
Can someone please explain to me(I’m a bit thick) what is the point of these stories bout spending there money
@John Murt: to make you feel bad clearly
@John Murt: It’s almost like propaganda, showing you how little people earn and hey look they’re doing grand, so there is no problem with housing or anything, the government is a great job..
Alternate reality. This guy pursues his dreams of travelling the world. He gains both life and work experience in different cities of the world. He meets the love of his life and they decide to buy a house together, both contributing to the mortgage. Not implausible
Fair play to this lad. I know a lot of 30 somethings who don’t have the same resolve or will-power to save up. Don’t heed the begrudgers. If you’re happy with your achievements and goals, you owe nobody anything.
I sense a little jealousy from some people on this comments thread. You’re highlighting their sense of insecurity in themselves, so ignore the negative comments. Keep it going
Does this person go to work naked, or just wear hand me down clothes?
It just shows you how far we have come this young man with a good job does everything by the book fair play to him and he has to wait until his 30 to take out a mortgage.In the 80 you took out a mortgage when you were 20 and definitely owned your own home by the age of 40 . So I really think it is backwards we are going .
I couldn’t live like that. It reeks of stingy. What about if he gets sick on his omelette diet? Or falls off his bike and ends up in hospital. Has he health insurance or should the taxpayer foot the bill?
This g
There is more to life than a house. Yes there are advantage to owning your own house and pay the mortgage off as quickly as possible and set yourself up for a more comfortable retirement, but not at the cost of a life. Go travelling, experience other cultures, do a season at a ski resort, scuba dive the great barrier reef. When you are old and grey do you want to tell your grand-kids about the time you did a bungy jump in New Zealand or about how you slaved for 30 years and now own your own house mortgage free and wish you had have made the most out your youth.
24? Christ have a bit of fun lad, mortgage saving when you’re 24?? Not worth the sacrifice of spending your 20s like a cycling hermit, if you want to make some big money to add to a savings fund you should work abroad somewhere for a couple years cause the money ain’t in ireland with high tax, high cost of living etc no matter how good you are at saving.
This is bullshit…..even the net wage is wrong on the figures given….and the salary is a makey uppy.
Total ruse
@Paul O Mahoney: The net wage looks relatively correct, if you’re struggling use a wage calculator online from Pwc/Deloitte, you’ll find monthly wage to be €2238 less €125 (pension included in gross to net as stated above) less health insurance BIK charge
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
have your say