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LAST UPDATE | 24 Feb 2021
THE GOVERNMENT’S REVISED Living with Covid plan is a “wing and a prayer” strategy that contains nothing to give people hope, the Dáil has heard.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin unveiled the new plan yesterday , which will see Level Five restrictions continue until 5 April at the earliest.
But Labour leader Alan Kelly attacked the plan during Leaders’ Questions today, saying it contained nothing new and is entirely reliant on vaccines.
He said: “It’s a hope and see strategy. There’s nothing in it. There’s nothing new in it that we didn’t know already, it’s basically a wing and a prayer and it’s totally reliant on vaccines.
“There’s nothing there to give people hope. The people are in despair.
“I have never in my political career felt the despair I have over the last number of weeks, particularly given all the communications failures that you’ve had.
“And my real issue is that there are no new tools to suppress the virus, nothing in the plan to suppress the virus. Let’s just wait for the vaccines.”
The Taoiseach responded by saying the tools needed to suppress the virus have not changed, regardless of the emergence of new variants of Covid-19.
He said: “The suppressing of the virus, irrespective of form, doesn’t change in terms of what we must do as a society.
“It doesn’t actually change according to the public health experts. What I mean by that is the social distancing, the avoidance of congregation.
“That’s what drives down virus levels. We should be driven by data and not dates. You haven’t specified any metrics this morning in your contribution.”
Vaccines are working, says Taoiseach
Martin also defended the reliance on vaccines, saying there is already evidence that they are working.
He said: “Vaccination is working already in our hospital care settings. It is having a dramatic effect on reducing infection among frontline health care workers.
“(We are) One of the few countries that targeted that area, in terms of the vaccination programme and it is working.
“It’s having a real impact, and it will have an impact on older people, and on those who are most vulnerable.”
Earlier today, Social Democrats co-leader Roisin Shortall criticised the lack of targets in the government’s roadmap.
“We’re continuing to say we’ll do this until April and we’ll see what we do after that. I think that’s the wrong approach – to work on the basis of target dates – we should be talking about target case numbers and then we also should be putting in place, I believe, concrete measures to drive down numbers. They’re staying stubbornly high at the moment, mainly because of the new variant.”
Shortall said it should not be “a matter of wait and see”.
“It should be a case of the government saying ‘these are the steps now that we’re all going to take in order to drive those down those numbers’, so we can be confident that the schools will open – and stay open.
She said there are “major areas” that were not addressed in the plan such as resourcing public health so that more intensive contact tracing can be done.
She said from traffic levels it appears that a lot of people have gone back to the workplace and employers should be “directed to ensure that wherever possible workers should work from home”.
I think there are also issues in relation to low paid workers, those in meat factories, for example, who are in high-risk situations, and some clusters developing there and I think better financial support needs to be provided to people in those circumstances so they don’t feel under pressure to go in to work and they have symptoms.
Cork nursing home
In the Dáil today, the issue of nursing homes was also raised with the Taosieach.
Solidarity/People Before Profit TD Mick Barry has called for a full investigation into an outbreak of Covid-19 at the Ballynoe Nursing Home in Co Cork.
A group of five families affected by the outbreak have joined forces and sought legal advice in a bid to find out why and how the outbreak happened.
The outbreak began on 8 January this year and resulted in all residents and staff contracting the virus, leading to 21 deaths, Barry said.
The Ballynoe home is part of a chain of facilities owned by a fund, he said.
The Taoiseach said he will engage with the Minister for Health on the issue, adding questions about the outbreak deserve “full and comprehensive answers”.
He added: “HIQA (Health Information and Quality Authority) have been engaging regularly with the provider, prior to and since they were notified of the outbreak on 9 January.
“It’s understood that the provider did not request any additional support or ask for any issues to be escalated.
“Following receipt of the statute notification of 14 deaths between February 7 and 9, HIQA carried out a risk inspection on February 11.
“Its inspectors review the arrangements in place for visiting, as well as records heads in relation to visiting and family engagements.
“The chief inspector will prepare an inspection report now, proclaiming its findings and this report then will be published when the full process concludes.”
Martin said he understands that relatives are anxious for engagement, and he will discuss this with the Minister for Health prior to the conclusion of the HIQA report.
As of last night, there were 642 people with Covid-19 in hospital, with 149 people in ICU and a further 103 Covid-19 patients on ventilation.
Yesterday, 575 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Ireland, and a further 45 people confirmed to have Covid-19 died.
As of 21 February, 353,971 doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland:
- With reporting from Press Association, Michelle Hennessy and Chrstina Finn
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One of the greatest opportunistic strokes of the last decade by Alan Kelly. Hopping on the McCabe bandwagon in the final weeks when it looked cut and dried, 2 years after Clare Daly & others raised the issue, when he himself was in government and did nothing. A slew of photo opportunities and TV appearances followed for the Knight in Shining Armour, the biggest ego in Irish politics.
@Justin Barrett: at least he challenges politicians and has fought a lot of battles on this. I admire him
@Chris Finn: Is that you Alan?
@Chris Finn: The only one who admires Alan Kelly is Alan Kelly. Hi Alan?
@Chris Finn: seek help
@Chris Finn: “power is a drug” Kelly? Narcissistic megalomaniac
@Chris Finn: If you admire him I’d say you need to go somewhere and have a good chat with yourself.
@Misanthrope: it is incredulous that somebody that loves himself so much and everything is all about him that people wasted their vote on him thinking that he would represent them instead of just himself. Fools.
@Chris Finn: he had no problem imposing an unjust property tax on us she minister!
@Liam O Connor: when he was minister!
@David Dickson:
You are a good judge DD. Spot on.
I know the man.
@Chris Finn: we have a groupie on our hands lol
This guy just loves publicity!
@iohanx: would you prefer this guy wasn’t challenging politicians and keeping them honest
@Chris Finn: I’d prefer a different guy.
@Arnold Alley: I know, I still have three shirts and a blouse to do.
@Chris Finn: Wow, honesty and Alan Kelly in the same sentence. That’s a first.
Imagine the boredom of the poor fecker that has to endure Alan Kelly’s conversations.
The labour party dont like being insignificant in politics . they’re jumping on any bandwagon for publicity.how can journalists get it so wrong,he did nothing for whistleblowers when in government, the labour party backed the commissioner 100% so they could remain in power.
This guy will stop at nothing to keep his name in the spotlight. The only thing this man should be remembered for is the absolute shambles that was Irish Water and water charges.
@Tommy Roche: he doesn’t bother even pretending he gives a sh¡+€ about homeless or poverty because there’s no decent photo opportunities or media spotlight in it but conspiracy &phone tapping is sure to get him on the front pages.. he’s a cu..
@Tommy Roche: remember he said it would be his “legacy”? Well that is it, that is all I canremember him doing, how did that go for him?
Funny how he’s criticising the legislation. Who makes our laws? Did he spend his entire time as a Minister on the phone doing deals?
@Tommy Roche: Very true. And more besides. what is he so afraid of and who is giving him information?
Arrogant bàstard. I’d love to see voted out.
O God, this buffoon will doing anything to raise his profile.
@Joseph Dempsey: eh he exposes politicians and keeps them honest. You have just won dumbest comment of the year
@Chris Finn: I’m with Joseph on this one
@Chris Finn: Agree. I was never a fan of his but he is doing good work on the PAC committee.
@Chris Finn: would this be the other politicians who have been raising the very issues this clown to take notice of only recently, I recall he also had plenty of opportunities to raise issues when he was in government, a little late in the day for crocodile tears I’m afraid. Kelly is an opportunist , nothing more, nothing less apart from also being an irrational loud mouth
@Chris Finn: you have to see that he is a bandwagon jumper
Does it not cross his mind that if the gardai have tapped his phone it indicates that they think he’s involved in criminal activity, and that this would reflect poorly upon him?
@Lurfic: Ridiculous comment. Obviously he has good reasons to believe that he is being monitored for political reasons. He clearly said that this is something to be aware of from people who advise him on the matters.
@Lurfic: so true
I find Kelly to be insufferably obnoxious. However, I get the impression he has a sniff of something here. His public perception is almost as important to him as his self perception. As one poster above said, he jumped on the McCabe bandwagon in the last two weeks of the shitshow that ended Fitzgerald as minister, once all the long hard work had been done. I get the same feeling here. Seems like he’s jumping out in front of something so he can be first to say he brought it up.
Who in their right mind would want to know what Labour are doing .
I have no time for his politics .. however Kelly’s work on the PAC has been great … his questioning was critical in the exposure of the dept of justice and Garda collusion to smear McCabe … he has been very bullish in not taking vague answers from the HSE in relation to the whistleblower and grace case.
But unfortunately due to his Irish water calamities he will not get the credit he deserves on these matters
@Gggordon: I agree with this. I think he’s been excellent in opposition. I’d never want him anywhere near government again though.
@Conor: You sum up Kelly and liebour perfectly Conor, great in opposition, liars and turncoats in power.
What does he think the Gardai are after….The mole who leaked government documents to him….Is that not their job under official secrets act hunting moles….
There may have been a leak, Alan.
He’ll do anything to get his name up in lights….this is not show business Alan.
The Justice department have better things to do – stop wasting their time – and stop costing us money, in other words…get lost!
Between tapping and leaking I think he should call a plumber
Next weeks headline…..
“Alan Kelly seen out on a date with Amanda Brunker”
@Larry Fitzwell: Following weeks headline….
“Amanda Brunker reveals why she is emigrating”
@Tommy Roche: Week after interview with Hello magazine……
“Amanda Brunker on how the Maurice McCabe scandal has affected her, and how she was once a whistle blower too”
What do he r any of the other Labour mouth pieces Di when in Government Nothing. They should have been wired out at last election
I don`t doubt the capacity of AGS for dirty tricks, that has been well proven over the years. But AK is just an insufferable attention seeker.
Regina doherty wil be kicking herself she didnt think of this! Makes a change from the old death threat yarn!
I once walked past Alan Kelly while he was talking a phone call in the street. Should I be expecting a visit from the guards?
Have we an honest politician in this country at all, anyone? Anyone?
@Horace: William Wallace, Wexford Braveheart. Connoisseur of everything Italian,…. or maybe not, forgot to pay his taxes.
What a clown
The only tapping he is concerned with is water taps!!!
Of course Alan Kelly’s phone calls are being monitored. I’m not sure, though, why he is making such a fuss over it. It’s just reality.
Bomb Squad called in, death threats, phone tapped. Who would be a TD? Having to continually invent b/s like this. Hard work!
If he has been tipped off by a Garda mole and it turns out his phone was tapped this would trigger an election.
The opposition parties in the Dail are making the Government look good at this stage. Bunch of attention seeking clowns.
I hope it’s not a frivolous accusation ,if their is any truth in this allegation then it doesn’t bode well for the high ethos and rigorous accountability the organs of the State now uphold.
Who uses landlines anymore?
He is slowly becoming the biggest pain in the arse in the country.
It has..by his Ego
This Guy and his Colleagues should be Shot for Treason
This poor man could get counselling and I’m sure some medication for his unfortunate condition..
Has to be the biggest Dick head in Irish politics
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