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What the new Covid-19 government measures mean for workers

People are being advised to work from home if possible from 6pm today.

TODAY, TAOISEACH LEO Varadkar announced this morning that schools, colleges and childcare facilities will close from 6pm this evening to prevent the spread of Covid-19. 

All will remain shut until 29 March, Varadkar announced earlier this morning in the United States. 

Workplaces have not been ordered to shut on the same scale at this time.

Varadkar was clear that people should continue going to work if they can, but should work from home if possible. 

Mass gatherings of more than 100 people indoors and more than 500 people outdoors are being advised against. “Cultural institutions” have also been told to close, including museums, galleries and tourism sites. 

Government ministers were clear that there is a difference between a workplace of more than 100 people and a “mass gathering”.

“The guidelines and requests we’re making today are not meant to shut down the workplace that has more than 100 people. That’s not a public gathering,” Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said.  

However, break times and working times are asked to be staggered to reduce “unnecessary face to face interaction in the workplace”.  

Meetings should also be done remotely or over the phone if possible, Varadkar said. 

Simon Coveney said that these measures “will have an impact on people’s ability to do their jobs”.

“Workers should limit their contacts, particularly face to face meetings.”

“Never before has such drastic action been taken in the face of a public health threat. What we have outlined has not been decided upon lightly,” he said.  

Shops will remain open and public transport will continue to operate as normal.

“We have not witnessed a pandemic of this nature in living memory. This is uncharted territory,” Varadkar said today. 

Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan said the advisory group “recognise” that these measures will be a challenge for certain establishments such as restaurants. 

Some restaurants have already started putting social distancing in place for customers, spacing tables more than a metre apart.

Speaking today, Minister for Health Simon Harris said: “If you can work from home we’re recommending that you do so. It’s necessary for all of us to reduce our social contacts.”

Last week, the government announced further measures for sick pay benefits for Covid-19.

These include:

  • The current six-day waiting period for illness benefit will not apply to anyone who has Covid-19 or is in medically-required self isolation. 
  • Personal illness benefit will increase from €203 to €305 per week for a maximum of two weeks. 
  • Normal social insurance requirements for illness benefit will be changed and illness benefits will apply to the self-employed. 

Coveney said that if workplaces “can continue to operate their business” in a way that does not contribute to the spread of the transmission, they should do so.  

“We want to be able to move through this period [and] get back to a much more normal society, but these measures are necessary and we wouldn’t be introducing them if they weren’t,” he said. 

Outside of the workplace, people are advised to limit their social interactions as much as possible. 

With reporting by Sean Murray 

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    Mute David Corrigan
    Favourite David Corrigan
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 6:36 AM

    2189.00 EUR per month is 4.7 times the amount I pay towards mortgage every month. Frightening.

    110
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    Mute DaisyMay
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 6:50 AM

    @David Corrigan: but to fair… it’s about what must people pay towards a mortgage in Dublin

    38
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    Mute Genius 80s+
    Favourite Genius 80s+
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 8:01 AM

    This country is out of control for prices everything is over priced and those responsible blame a free market when it’s clearly price gouging and greed.

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    Mute Paraic
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 8:23 AM

    @David Corrigan: It’s 1/3rd the price of a hotel room though.

    6
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    Mute Marcus o Dhonnghaile
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 10:10 AM

    @David Corrigan: You probably didnt buy your house last year.

    5
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    Mute Sean Conway
    Favourite Sean Conway
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 7:39 AM

    It will end in disaster. the government are making thing worse. with no attempt to solve the problem with a public works housing project. instead they pander to speculators and landlords.

    56
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    Mute Brianán McBride
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 8:03 AM

    @Sean Conway: a lot in government are landlords.

    40
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    Mute Paraic
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 8:18 AM

    @Sean Conway: By pander, do you mean target?

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 9:39 AM

    @Sean Conway:
    And yet they climb higher in the polls.
    I’m alright jack

    5
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    Mute Marcus o Dhonnghaile
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 10:11 AM

    @Sean Conway: Another crash on the way. Have you got some money to buy in cheap thats what the cute gang do.

    6
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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 10:31 AM

    @Marcus o Dhonnghaile:
    You are right, there will be another crash, maybe soon or it could be 10-15 years away but the first thing that will happen when it does is the banks will withdraw credit and very few ordinary people will have the €150-200k+ needed to buy in cash.

    6
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    Mute Marcus o Dhonnghaile
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 1:36 PM

    @Patrick Nolan: 10 or 15 years away ???? try two to three years for the next crash the next mini boom is 10 or 15 years away, Thats what we do here boom and bust every 10 to 15 years

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 2:30 PM

    @Marcus o Dhonnghaile:
    You may be right but then…
    In 1998 my father built a bungalow in the country to retire and rented his house in the town to a couple who had sold their house for a “big price” and we’re going to rent for a while and then buy back when it crashed again.
    They only stayed a year, house was two big really, so I have no idea what happened to them but I know when the crash came house prices didn’t fall to anywhere near 1998 levels.
    As regards we having a 10-15 year cycle, the previous to last crash started in the early eighties, didn’t happen again until 2008, at least 25 years later.
    Everyone can predict a crash, but anyone suggesting they know when is only fooling themselves.

    6
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    Mute Martin Sinnott
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 6:44 AM

    Are these figures based on new rents ? If so they don’t take into account most rents payed. But it shows that new rents are dangerously way to high leading to misery for Tenants.

    31
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    Mute mursim
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 8:36 AM

    It’s getting to the point where a few riots seem necessary.

    28
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    Mute Robin Basstard
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 9:12 AM

    @mursim: Can’t be having a riot while X factor is on TV…the plebs haven’t time…
    Can’t be having a riot while the premier league is on TV…the plebs haven’t time…
    Can’t be having a riot while the GAA is in full swing the plebs haven’t time…
    Looks like the peasants will have to put up with being robbed because they haven’t time…to much on TV…

    This may be perceived as toxic4.4/10

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 2:34 PM

    @mursim:
    Your right, this democracy thing is useless, it should be decided by who has the biggest gun..

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    Mute Michael Kavanagh
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 7:20 AM

    And yet if any piece of decent transport infrastructure is proposed in an area the whinging of local home owners knows no bounds!

    39
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    Mute Diddles Daffy
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 7:44 AM

    Keep voting them in folks

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    Mute joe
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 10:10 AM

    Sorry but it’s a free market (or at least it was). People with more money will pay more to live near the LUAS. Simple as.
    This is the way it should be!

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    Mute BAKKT-MAN XRP
    Favourite BAKKT-MAN XRP
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 8:17 PM

    My Wife and relocated to the UK 7 months ago best decision we ever made. Both had good paying professional jobs renting in Dublin trying to save for a mortgage. Constantly Broke and out of the house 12hrs a day. Since we moved we are now mortgage ready. What you would get in Firhouse for €345k the exact same house over here is £130k we are also mortgage ready home from work at 5.45pm every day. We feel like we have a future and time back in our lives. Dublin is over heating and will pop very soon. If I could give advise, if you can get out now before another recession hits. You don’t realise how back it is until you leave.

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    Mute BAKKT-MAN XRP
    Favourite BAKKT-MAN XRP
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    Nov 3rd 2018, 12:11 AM

    House prices plugging in California as fast as 2008 crash- brace yourself Dublin it won’t be long

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    Mute Paul Daly
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    Nov 2nd 2018, 9:49 PM

    give it another few years and it will be €3,360 higher per month never mind per year !

    1
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