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TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has announced that Phase One of lifting Covid-19 restrictions will begin on Monday.
Yesterday, the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) briefed Cabinet ministers about its advice on what restrictions should be in place from Monday 18 May.
Cabinet met today to discuss the advice given by NPHET.
At the start of the month, Varadkar announced a five-step plan – which can be read in full here – for lifting the measures put in place by the government to slow the spread of Covid-19.
He said today: “Today’s announcement gives us reason to hope, but it’s not cause for celebration,” adding there’s a “long way to go”.
There are five scenarios whereby people can or should leave their home, from Monday.
They are to go to work if your workplace has been told it can open under the current rules and in circumstances where you can’t do your job from home, to go to the shops for items you need, to exercise within five kilometres, for medical reasons or to care for others and to meet friends or family outdoors in groups no bigger than four.
Members of the public are also being urged to wear face coverings when on public transport and in enclosed spaces. People coming into Ireland will also have to quarantine for 14 days, the Taoiseach confirmed.
“We have a long way to go and we have to keep our guard up,” Varadkar said. “The next review will take pace on 5 June. We need to keep following these guidelines.
“Our progress depends on all of us doing what we have been doing. As we come into contact with more people the opportunity for the virus to spread increases.
Some mainly in outdoor work will be able to start work again, for example construction work, gardeners and people tending to allotments.
Some more stores will reopen and you will be able to shop again in garden centres, hardware stores, and farmers’ markets, or get your eyes tested or your car, motorbike or bicycle fixed.
“As part of your daily exercise you will be able to play a game of tennis, or a round of golf, exercise and fitness classes outdoors in small groups of up to four people, once you don’t travel beyond 5km to do so.
“Some public amenities such as public beaches and mountain walks will reopen.”
Here is a full list of changes from Monday, where social distancing can be maintained:
During Phase One, customers are advised to only visit re-opened stores for essential supplies.
All outlets must implement physical distancing measures.
The Taoiseach added: “In every single case it is vital that we maintain a physical distance of 2 metres.”
He said he hopes to announce that Ireland can progress to Phase Two on Friday 5 June.
“This depends on the progress we make between now and then,” he said. “Nothing is guaranteed.”
‘Significant challenge’
Speaking at the same briefing, Health Minister Simon Harris said he wanted people to enjoy “simple pleasures in life”, such as visiting a beach, meeting a friend (while socially distanced) or playing a sport.
“We have to remember we do these things accompanied by risk and we have to act accordingly,” he said.
If we get it right, there’s a big prize… But our actions could also set us back. Let’s ensure we don’t risk that. We’ve gone through too much to risk that.
He asked the public to continue to trust the government and said he’d great faith in what the Irish people could achieve in the weeks. He closed by asking people to stay at home, stay safe and hold firm.
Chief medical officer Tony Holohan said the country has helped drive the infection down.
“It’s now even more important for the personal behaviours that has been adopted by Irish people to keep going,” he added.
The more we move through this phase it will become more important to protect ourselves and our families from this virus.
Greed.
@Moses: You just call out my name
And you know, wherever I am
I’ll come runnin’
To see you again…
@Moses: It’s perfectly reasonable. You can’t be going around looking at stuff for free. I live in quite a scenic area and the other day I saw some fella looking at some lovely things, bold as brass. I was having none of it. Stood in front of him until he left, so I did. Cheeky git.
We have done this lovely walk many times.(And contributed to the local economy by staying in a bnb and purchasing locally). I would not pay to walk again.
@Fiona Liston: Plenty that will. We don’t need ya
@Luma plex: I’m assuming you’re joking. If not, you think it’s ok to charge people to walk in the fresh air ? And people give out about expensive Dublin ? Clare will become the new rip off place to visit.
Very surprised the comments are open on this article…..the articles for commenting on are getting fewer by the day for some reason !
@Jb Walshe: After seeing some of the comments that were deleted before closing the comments on the article about the memorial to national soldiers I can understand why comments are not being open on all articles.
@Roy Dowling: Example?
@I’m Far Right: the most notable one was using Veradkers sexuality to attack him instead of just saying he shouldn’t have been there. No need for it and probably the reason comments were closed
@Roy Dowling: That sounds awful. Hopefully Leo didn’t see it. Poor wee lad.
@Jb Walshe: those debunked articles are hilarious, usually overlook plenty of facts to suit the explanation and comments are closed in case they’re rumbled.
@I’m Far Right: Ah so you are one of those. Don’t know who I’m surprised
@Fintan Stack: this is the real reason. Talk about how much you like Coldplay all you like, but don’t come here to discuss serious topics and expect not get censored at some stage by the blatantly biased Journal.
They must be in trouble if they’re asking for handouts in the middle of an article.
@Journal Snowflake: …and without so much as a reach-around.
@Fintan Stack: Well don’t read it if you don’t like it! There are plenty of other Irish news sources if you don’t like The Journal’s values. It’s free. What’s the problem? You pay for what you get.
@Journal Snowflake: yes, we’re the fourth richest country in the world, our worst off are 60% better off than the worst off in the UK, and somebody with four dependent kids who chooses never to work can get state supports including housing that equate to a salary of more than 50k before tax. Our medical care and education are free, older people get a pension even if they never contributed to one, along with free travel.
So yes, we’re being screwed, we should kick out our centrist governments and replace them with the IRA.
(Or the weird lad with all the gold bars).
Greed, greed and more ******k8n greed. What a sham of a country we have become.
@Charles Mc Carthy: It is not the ordinary people who are greedy but it is those few fat Greedy Councilors who firmly believe that it is their job to relieve people of their hard earned money. I haven’t visited the Cliffs since the council began charging for parking. None of my children have never visited the Cliffs. How many people who live within ten miles of the Cliffs will never visit the them?
@Seán Ó Maoildeirg: your kids are missing out. Park in Doolin old village for free, it’s 5 mins walk from walk to Cliffs of Moher, spectacular views along the way – although probably takes 90 mins at least to get to O’Brien’s Tower
I remember when there was just a car park at the Cliffs of Moher. No charge……. no bother at all. Then the greed started to kick in. I haven’t been back since
@Johannes Baader: you had a car back then? And you’re still driving? Respect!
Yeay capitalism !
@Alex Kane: You don’t understand what capitalism is.
@Alex Kane: Capitalism was the farmers who decided to use their own property as carparks and undercut the council one in price by a huge percentage. That was kind of cool huh? That’s the free market approach but the government doesn’t like the free market competing like that, so they shut down the competition. In short, capitalism was providing a good solution here and the quasi socialist government stopped it.
Boycott these activities and let’s see what happens when no money is getting in.
Comments closed for the protest at Cork City Library. What are you afraid of, Journal? Free speech?
The boom is back baby……greed is good
And what about Lahinch and Lehinch
All these objections are falling on deaf ears. It’s a long long way from Clare to hear
Well done to the protesters in cork
They’ll be charging to get in to O’Connors or McGanns next.
Nothing wild about the wild Atlantic way
@eoin fitzpatrick: It’s wilder than your one bed flat in dcc
Maybe they could raise the local property tax instead?
Clare locals should stick to farming and stop moaning. They’re our cliffs now.
@Luma plex: Your cheque is in the post.
Thieving c$$ts
Questions….
Surely stopping to drop someone off is not a parking violation…?
Can the double yellow lines be appealled ..positive action is needed.
I was one of the fools that had to pay e12 a person as there was 4 of us in car . To walk along in the rain with the THOUSANDS of others . 1% of them IRISH . 99% TOURISTS. They won’t let u stop the car anywhere near to let people out . As marshalls out moving traffic and ticketing ppl. They even charge u to go into the tower now . So basically rip off ireland at its best . 2 hrs at the cliffs . E48 entrance . 4 Coffees e16 . The rain free , definitely a Mastercard movement.
No one should be charged to walk on a cliff.
No one should be charged to drop someone off.
And there should be a legal maximum to charge people to park their cars.
How absolutely ridiculous.
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