Author Archives: Bodger

This morning.

Via Reuters:

Greek authorities said they would impose a €100 fine on every individual over the age of 60 who was not vaccinated.

The measure would apply each month from 16 January onwards.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he struggled with the decision, but it was necessary to protect more than half a million elderly Greeks who had failed to get the jab.

“Its the price to pay for health,” he said.

Earlier: Stabilise Your Socialising

This morning.

Dublin Castle, Dublin 2.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin speaks to reporters as he heads in for a cabinet meeting to discuss new covid restrictions.

He said:

“We had a good presentation from the CMO and his team, and overall in terms of the management of Covid-19 there has been a stabilisation in terms of admissions to hospital and ICU, and there has been some improvement in terms of case numbers and the five-day incidence level.

“I want to thank the people for the degree to which they have moderated behaviour in terms of socialisation.

“On Omicron I think we have to allow the science to inform us in terms of how infectious it is, how virulent it is, and indeed the impact of vaccines on it, so all of that remains to be determined.

“It’s all to be assessed yet because when we say stabilisation, it is stabilisation at high levels, and any increase in socialisation over the next while could tip that in a different direction.”

RollingNews

Last night.

CC writes:

OK, enough is enough. I was in my favourite local takeaway. These guys came in twice without masks. No bleeding effort at all and when I made my discomfort known to them, they chased me down the street shouting at me. How, when everyone else is making an effort to keep everyone else safe, can this happen? Who do they work for? The level of aggression scared me.

Earlier: Not In My Name

Last night/this morning.

A petition has been launched calling for the removal of the domestic COVID pass in Ireland.

‘Vaccinated and Worried’ writes:

The domestic COVID pass in Ireland should be abolished immediately. It is a divisive and discriminatory measure with very little scientific basis.

As a tool it divides the nation but if you are vaccinated but oppose the domestic COVID please add your name to this petition (at link below).

I still have faith in Irish people and I hope that deep down many know that it is fundamentally wrong to deny fellow citizens a normal every day life based on a medical treatment.

I am vaccinated but I no longer feel comfortable sitting inside knowing that others cannot do so. The only reason the domestic COVID pass is possible is because the vaccinated consider it acceptable.

If you are vaccinated but against the domestic COVID pass please add your name and voice to this petition.

Sign here

This morning.

The cabinet is to meet later to discuss new NPHET guidelines….

The recommendation under discussion aims to cut down on children mixing but the advice appears to be more subtle than the initial recommendation from the National Public Health Emergency Team last week.

Those familiar with the memo going to Cabinet said it could mean a play-date might be an option or a trip to the panto, but not both.

Mask wearing from third class upwards will be among the measures discussed this morning…

Meanwhile…

There will also be proposals around international travel with an antigen test set to be required by all people arriving here.

This would need to be completed a maximum of 72 hours before arriving in the country and there are indications that the antigen test system will be professionally administered.

The Cabinet will also examine legislation that would allow for the re-introduction of mandatory hotel quarantine.

Masks for schoolchildren nine and over set to be recommended (irish Times)

Ombudsman urges Govt to quickly assess impact of Covid rules on children

RollingNews

Meanwhile…

Nphet has recommended to the Government that children aged nine or over should wear face masks in school.

From our reading of recent reports by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the Health Information and Quality Authority, it appears that both the ECDC and Hiqa consider mask wearing in this age group (the under 12s) in the school setting to be of limited benefit.

As both parents and healthcare professionals, we question Nphet’s recommendation, which we consider is not evidence based and lacks guidelines or metrics that will determine its discontinuation.

We fear that the introduction of mandatory face masks could have a profound negative impact on the emotional, social and academic development of these young children.

Dr Nikki O’Keefe and Dr Ciaran Healy,

Ranelagh, Dublin 6

Irish Times Letters

Meanwhile…

Pat McDonagh, MD of Supermac’s

Last night/this morning.

Supermac’s boss Pat McDonagh has confirmed that the group is now recruiting workers from overseas due to a ‘shortage of Irish applicants’.

Via RTÉ News:

Mr McDonagh said that over the past two months and up to the end of the year, Supermac’s will have recruited over 100 EU workers who do not require work permits from eastern Europe, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

Mr McDonagh stated that one of the reasons for the shortage of workers here is the Government’s Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).

“I think the PUP caused people to get a bit lazy,” he said.

Supermac’s forced to recruit from overseas to fill jobs (RTÉ)

Pic: Supermacs

Meanwhile…

This afternoon.

Buswells Hotel, Dublin 2.

Zero covid enthusiastic People Before Profit TDs, including  Bríd Smith (top), at a press conference on her party’s Ventilation Bill which will be debated in the Dáil at second stage this week.

The bill seeks to guarantee a certain standard of ventilation in workplaces ‘to help stop the spread of coronavirus’ and ensure every employee the right to request an inspection of their workplace by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) to verify sufficient levels of fresh air.

RollingNews

The Web Summit’s Paddy Cosgrave

This afternoon.

Via Independent.ie:

A “very substantial” payment was made to a female ex-Web Summit employee to settle claims of bullying and harassment against its CEO Paddy Cosgrave, a former director has alleged in High Court proceedings.

Daire Hickey, a fellow co-founder of the successful tech conference, accused Mr Cosgrave of routinely chastising and demeaning staff, particularly women.

It is the third lawsuit relating to disputes between co-founders of the tech event to be filed in the space of just seven weeks.

…A Web Summit spokesperson has described Mr Hickey’s claims as “baseless”.

Female employee got ‘substantial’ settlement over bullying claims against Web Summit CEO Paddy Cosgrave, lawsuit claims (independent.ie)

Last week: I Know What You Did Last Summit

RollingNews