Advertisement

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.

PA

The IRFU has postponed next month's Ireland v Italy Six Nations match

It had been due to take place at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday week, 7 March.

LAST UPDATE | 26 Feb 2020

THE IRFU HAS agreed to postpone next month’s scheduled Six Nations rugby match between Ireland and Italy.  

It had been due to take place at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday week, 7 March. 

Two other games, under 20s Ireland vs Italy game scheduled for 6 March and the women’s Ireland vs Italy game scheduled for 8 March, have also been postponed. 

Following today’s announcement, the IRFU said it is working with the Six Nations to try to reschedule all three fixtures. 

Ticket holders are being asked to retain their tickets for now. The IRFU will be providing ticket holders with tickets for the rescheduled games or a refund, if they wish to receive one.

The IRFU’s announcement follows an announcement from Health Minister Simon Harris last night that the government would recommend postponing the match due to the spread of the coronavirus. 

The news comes as Italy confirms its 12th death from outbreak today. South Korea has recorded 1,261 cases so far, the most of anywhere outside of China. 

Harris said earlier today that the ultimate decision on whether to proceed with the match rested with the IRFU.

He held a meeting with Philip Browne, the IRFU chief executive, this afternoon. 

The IRFU has issued a statement following the meeting. 

“The IRFU had a positive meeting with Minister Harris and his advisors today, where we requested a formal instruction as to the staging of Ireland v Italy international matches over the weekend of 6/8 March,” the IRFU said. 

“At the outset we made it clear that the IRFU was supportive of the government’s need to protect public health in relation to the coronavirus,” it said. 

We were then advised, formally, that the National Public Health Emergency Team has determined that the series of matches should not proceed in the interests of public health. The IRFU is happy to comply with this instruction. 

“We will immediately begin to work with our Six Nations partners to look at the possibility of rescheduling the matches and would hope to have an update on this in the coming days.” 

Speaking after the meeting, Harris said: “It gave me an opportunity to outline, along with the Chief Medical Officer, the determination made by the National Public Emergency Team yesterday.

“A number of decisions were made by our health experts in an effort to contain the spread of Covid-19 and ensure that Ireland plays its role in that regard.

“One of those decisions related to mass gatherings and obviously there was a particular issue in relation to a series of rugby games due to take place on the weekend of the 6th, 7th and 8th of March.

“It was good to have an opportunity to outline the rationale behind that to the IRFU and I very much appreciate the importance that they too attach to public health, and they were understanding in that regard.”

Irish Rail is offering full refunds to customers who booked rail travel online to and from Dublin for the match on 7 March. Refund applications, including book references, can be submitted here

With reporting by Daragh Brophy

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
152 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Emmet Dillane
    Favourite Emmet Dillane
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:01 AM

    What does the HSE and Irish Water have in common?
    Both publicly funded bodies being mismanaged and run into the ground to the point of non functionality in a deliberate attempt to push a privatization policy on the Irish public.
    Fine Gael’s ‘Vision’ for the future.

    140
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P C
    Favourite P C
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:04 AM

    @Emmet Dillane: FGs vision was for Irish Water to be self funding which is far more sustainable, whether you like it or not. But the Lefties had their day and we all pay for a 3rd rate underfunded water system. Thanks Paul Murphy and Sinn Fein.

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Risen
    Favourite The Risen
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:09 AM

    @P C: FGs vision for Irish Water was privatisation, like everything else that hasn’t been sold off or given away already.

    86
    See 22 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ed w
    Favourite ed w
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:10 AM

    @P C: BS fgs vision for irish water and the health service was to privatise and divest any responsibility for providing any services. Whilst still taking higher taxes and making us pay (if you can afford it) again.
    Let’s call a spade a spade for once.

    53
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute brian boru
    Favourite brian boru
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:12 AM

    @P C: You do get the reason its self funding is because it doubles the cost for the nation. Not only do we get taxed to pieces but then we also get screwed by a private company. We also lose control to profit seekers the nations most precious resource.

    The people that would be forced to pay for their water are in fact the same people that pay tax. Using business terms like self funding and more sustainable do not make it any more of a rip off for the Irish people. Irish water is a scam pure and simple and one that the Irish nation has democratically rejected. Get over it and move on FG members do not get to rip the nation off -

    47
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Murray
    Favourite Dave Murray
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:17 AM

    @P C: FG’s vision was how much they would earn out of it by being sold off and privatised, thankfully they didn’t get their greedy way.

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P C
    Favourite P C
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:21 AM

    @Dave Murray: FG never said they would privatise Irish Water. The ESB hasn’t been privatised why do you think Irish Water would be. At the end of the day you pay for what you get and in this case we are happy to pay little in exchange for a sh!t water system. Thanks Paul Murphy and Sinn Fein.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute William Clay
    Favourite William Clay
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:22 AM

    @Dave Murray: Yet.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Risen
    Favourite The Risen
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:25 AM

    @P C: Privatisation was in the DNA of Irish Water, both in its terms & conditions, and in the water services act.

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute conriel
    Favourite conriel
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:31 AM

    @Emmet Dillane:
    Not a fan of FG or any other current so call possible government parties, But if the Health service was in private hands the level of service would be much better that is it Reason nobody would allow it ,under state ownership nobody is answerable union control you cant sack me even if I fail to do my job, But some day this system will have to end.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute brian boru
    Favourite brian boru
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:32 AM

    @P C: We pay Billions in tax every year and expect services in return for it – IF elected officials can not balance the books and provide the services in the way the nation wants then we will elect leaders that can acknowledge the mandate they were given and follow the decisions the nation has made.

    Am pretty sure its FGs failure to see this that is seeing the massive upsurge in support for Murphy’s party – The more FG treats the wishes of the nation with contempt the more support Murphy and his team will get – At the rate FG are going by the time we hit the next election Murphy will own the left and take at least twenty seats

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Greg Blake
    Favourite Greg Blake
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:10 PM

    @P C: stop trying to push the IW rejection as a crazy SF/looney left idea. Not a good idea for FG to keep insulting the average voter. The far left support base in no way reflects the number of people who rejected the water plan. A huge portion across the spectrum disagreed with the Hogan model. The only hope FG has at this stage is to enshrine public ownership of the system before proceeding any further. Trying to say FG never proposed privatisation is an insult to the nations intelligence, FG are not interested in national ownership of any resources, or else they would have locked that down before launching IW. Pay per use is a fair and progressive system, back room dealing with our property and double taxation are not, IW just needs to be a version of the NRA, but for water provision.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P C
    Favourite P C
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:31 PM

    @brian boru: so you are suggesting that we should pay more tax. I don’t want to pay more tax.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute eastsmer #IRExit
    Favourite eastsmer #IRExit
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 1:02 PM

    @P C: Billions are being wasted on crony arrangements, plush offices, laughing yoga, high end audis, taxis, pensions, unpaid bar bills etc. etc.

    The ‘whats in it for me’ party is the never ending party that keeps on giving.

    That is where our taxes are going.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P C
    Favourite P C
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 1:12 PM

    @eastsmer #IRExit: your list costs billions? Lol. Try again tell us where money is wasted.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute brian boru
    Favourite brian boru
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 1:16 PM

    @P C: It cost more to collect the cost of Irish water then it actually generated PC – Irish water was a scam and I appreciate you take longer then most people in the country to understand simple facts but its going to cost you less money (tax) as instead of having the cost of billing twice people all money will be raised centrally through revenue,.

    Thankfully simpletons like yourself are in the minority in this country other wise scams like Irish water would be a lot more common and alll of the resources of the nation would be quickly sold off to the lowest bidder as is the FG way

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P C
    Favourite P C
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 1:33 PM

    @brian boru: all companies have initial set up costs. Irish water requires on going income. This now must come from the government and will very depend on state of the economy and who’s in government etc. The biggest problem is that Irish Water cannot borrow from banks for long term investment purposes as they don’t have a sustainable source of self financing.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute brian boru
    Favourite brian boru
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 1:52 PM

    @P C:

    Irish water is part of the general taxation as decided by the nation PC I can appreciate your not the brightest spark but that decision is made.

    Is the reason we are selling off our most precious resource so we can be more creative about creating more of this?

    http://www.financedublin.com/debtclock.php

    Either way the decision is made and revisiting this will only cause more of the chaos we saw across communities up and down the nation. As far as I am concerned Irish water does not exist and my water services are managed by the county councils and those elected to represent me in the management of the nations resources.

    Christ how many billions have been blown by Noonan and the debt cancellation company NAMA and idiots like you think the answer is to privitise that nations water supply furthering the gap between those with least and those with most.

    If idiots like you were in the majority this country would be a very harsh cruel place – Get over it and move along PC

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P C
    Favourite P C
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 3:49 PM

    @brian boru: name calling is the last resort of the inarticulate. This is a bad way to run a company and you are right the decision has been made. But don’t expect a good service. You pay for what you get.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute brian boru
    Favourite brian boru
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 3:59 PM

    @P C: Well then the elected officials who are responsible will pay at the polls – times have changed voters are smarter and better educated and better connected –

    We are not looking for a company we have enough of them we are looking for a Government who represents the people and not the lobbyist and actually puts whats best for the country first and not what is best for their pocket first as was the traditional way for too long in Irish politics.

    I was not name calling merely stating facts

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P C
    Favourite P C
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 4:41 PM

    @brian boru: calling someone you don’t know an idiot is not name calling???????
    Can you outline where the €11 billion required to invest in the water system to bring it up to a satisfactory standard will come from? The Left can, they tell us from higher tax. According to them everything should be free and paid for by tax. We pay too much tax as it is. Do you concur with them?

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Good Early
    Favourite Good Early
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 4:50 PM

    @P C: Unlike the HSE where we pay billions and get top quality? Clown!

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P C
    Favourite P C
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 5:12 PM

    @Good Early: name calling says more about you than me. Neither you nor your comment merit a response.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute brian boru
    Favourite brian boru
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 5:13 PM

    @P C: An idiot is a person of low intelligence – Your ignorance of the current situation and blind driving of an agenda that makes no sense for the nation on any level clearly points to the fact that you are of low intelligence hence stating facts as opposed to name calling

    The 11 billion is a figure created by the company that is looking to start billing people and is desperately trying to hold on to the massive benefits that were given to them by the last Government so I dispute the 11 Billion figure completely and have complete lack of trust in the institute that is coming out with the figure.

    As it stands I have not run for election so do not have to offer the solutions to the issue its time for those that are elected to stand up and offer solutions as opposed to bills and attacking our society through the privatization of our resources. We also need the referendum to enshrine the ownership of our water and the resources that carry it to house holds.

    As a Government there are many thousands of ways to raise finance such as bonds, sale of assets ( start with RTE in my opinion) and of course tax etc. The only way the government cant raise it is through the privatization of the nations most precious resource so lots of wiggle room for young Leo and the rest of FG to prove themselves.

    The mandate has been given to the politicians and they will be judged on their ability to carry it out. I would rather pay more tax where I can hold people accountable at the poll box then have to deal with the cess pool of corruption that is Irish Water. Irish water offers no value to the nation only an opportunity to make connected people wealthier. AS said thankfully idiots like you are in the minority.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute lavbeer
    Favourite lavbeer
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 5:26 PM

    @P C: it will probably come from the same place that almost billion Noonan committed us to for Anglo. We borrow a billion for that this year rising to 1.5 and then 2.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sinead Mooney
    Favourite Sinead Mooney
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 10:59 AM

    They might want to consider restoring pay parity to new Consultants and they could do better at recruiting them. Instead paying locums extortionate amounts because new Consultants rightly refuse to be paid 30% less than their colleagues.

    55
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Kennedy
    Favourite Brian Kennedy
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:10 PM

    so they added 22 management/admin staff and 10 medical/consultant staff ……. just about sums up the HSE.

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute cortisola
    Favourite cortisola
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 1:54 PM

    @Brian Kennedy: Where you got this “22 management/admin staff and 10 medical/consultant staff” from ?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh
    Favourite Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:04 AM

    Everything about the services stink. You have a baby you get serious postnatal depression, your hospitalized, your in a unit with heroin addicts and Alcoholics that are constantly sneaking out for a drink, Its used a storage area for everything and anything, belongings are being stolen, A nightmare, who even when sick would go there?

    55
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fank Pulman
    Favourite Fank Pulman
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 10:55 AM

    Not a country to get ill in…

    53
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gillian Weir Scully
    Favourite Gillian Weir Scully
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:26 AM

    @Fank Pulman: could be in America or Syria!

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Geraghty
    Favourite Michael Geraghty
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:42 AM

    @Fank Pulman: I honestly don’t think you realise how well we have it

    19
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fank Pulman
    Favourite Fank Pulman
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:19 PM

    @Michael Geraghty: Perhaps – but having worked in 4 other EU countries, I have found healthcare to be better there. Including the UK and the NHS. Other things too – just one example. Law and order; you’d be very stupid to behave badly on the streets of Berlin – the Police take NO prisoners!¡

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Geraghty
    Favourite Michael Geraghty
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:27 PM

    @Fank Pulman: I don’t doubt it for a minute, the hse is not perfect but it’s still not a bad country to get sick in. That was my only point. As for the police, I fully agree, our courts are letting our officers down daily.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Breen
    Favourite David Breen
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:20 PM

    The whole mental health system needs reforms, it needs people who care, not people in it for the money. I was connected to the Matter hospital Psychiatry. It was corrupt. Their answer was just medicating people.

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anthony Gallagher
    Favourite Anthony Gallagher
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:49 PM

    Do we need all these highly paid certificate holders ,to stand around administering drugs ,and form filling ,lets have more semi skilled staff that actually have real empathy and who have personalities that reach out and listen to the patient .this is more a vocational job than most .we have too many in it for the big money and big pensions .

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Mcloughlin
    Favourite John Mcloughlin
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:30 PM

    An absolute disgrace,3rd world service

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute EC P Ford
    Favourite EC P Ford
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:33 AM

    Looks like the PAYE are going to pay a lot more tax or has FF a magic way to pay for all this

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute iohanx
    Favourite iohanx
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2017, 10:57 AM

    That’s mental alright!

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Edmond OFlaherty
    Favourite Edmond OFlaherty
    Report
    Aug 13th 2017, 11:10 PM

    Without using complementary treatment of mental health problems I do not expect any major improvement in getting people well as we still have the same old drugs. Mental health problems are really physical problems and we can get many people well by getting the brain chemistry normalised. Psychiatrists in Ireland or UK rarely do any significant blood or urine tests for example except in psychotic illness. A London psychiatrist told me that doing biochemical tests are the way forwards. I learned all about this many years ago in Sydney. Are you a woman who perhaps suffers from panic attacks, insomnia, palpitations,severe anxiety or have had post-natal depression? If so you probably have excess copper in the blood causing you to make a high amount of adrenaline, the fight or flight chemical. Many women and some men with these symptoms will be smokers or drinkers to try to relieve the anxiety. Zinc and other nutrients can control the anxiety and by staying on the nutrients they will usually need no medication after a few months. Valium and Xanax do work for anxiety but they are addictive. Read more at http://www.walshinstitute.org.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds