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.

Sam Boal

Taoiseach tells everyone in Ireland to stay at home for two weeks from midnight tonight, with only specific listed exemptions

A further 302 cases of Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland were confirmed this evening.

TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has announced further restrictions from midnight tonight for a two-week period until Easter Sunday, 12 April. 

Everybody in Ireland has been told to stay at home for two weeks, except essential workers travelling to work and other exceptions.

Exemptions include: 

  • To shop for food or household goods or collect a meal. 
  • For vital family healthcare reasons  - social family visits are prohibited.
  • To take physical exercise individually or with children from the family.

People who do leave their homes for exercise will be required to stay within a 2km radius.

Shielding or cocooning will also be introduced for all of those over 70 years of age and specific categories of people who are extremely vulnerable to Covid-19. 

All visits to hospitals, residential healthcare settings, or residential settings and prisons are to cease with specific exceptions, on compassionate grounds.

All public transport and passenger travel will be restricted only to essential workers, and people providing essential services. 

The full list of essential workers is expected to published early tomorrow.  
 
In the interim, businesses and services which consider themselves essential services have been advised to remain open, pending publication of the list.

The announcement comes after a further 302 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in the Republic of Ireland, bringing the total here to 2,121.

Varadkar said health officials were concerned that more than 50% of the confirmed cases in Ireland involved community transmission and that clusters were developing in places such as nursing homes and residential care settings.

“We believe that now is the time for these further actions,” he said.

‘We need to go further’

“These are radical actions aimed at saving as many people’s lives as possible. In the days and weeks ahead,” Varadkar said. 

We’re not prisoners of fate. We can influence what’s going to happen to us next. 

“So I’m asking people to give meaning to our freedom and liberty by agreeing to these restrictions, restricting how we live our lives, so that others may live.”

Varadkar said there was not much else the government could do to restrict movement but that gardaí do have powers to police the restrictions. However, he expressed hope that this would be achieved with the “consent and co-operation” of the public rather than coercion.

“The best way we can achieve this is by consent,” the Taoiseach said. “If people understand that is going to be much more powerful than anything our gardaí can do – but they are available to police it if necessary,” he added.

Speaking at tonight’s briefing, Health Minister Simon Harris said the further measures advised by public health experts were necessary  “to give ourselves the very best chance of reducing the impact of this virus and saving lives”.

“It has been a shock to many of us to see the number of deaths grow in recent days. This is the reality that we face. This is the now that we are difficult. So we have to accept these temporary, but difficult restrictions, now in the hope of better times ahead.”

Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan said health officials have seen encouraging signs so far in the battle to stop the spread of Covid-19 but warned “we need to go further” due to the day-on-day increase in ICU admittance. 

“First of all, we’ve seen over the course of recent weeks, a drop in the number of contacts associated with each case that we identify and then we follow up in contact tracing. This gives us encouragement that the public is working with us.

We’ve also seen that the day on day increase in the total number of cases, has slowed down, relative to what we might have expected a number of weeks ago.

“We think we’re still at an early point in the course of this disease. We think now is the time for us to move to strengthen the measures further to try to spend two weeks to really suppress the transmission of this virus as much as possible in the community. ”

Data from HPSC, as of midnight, Wednesday 25 March shows that 419 cases (26% of 1,639 cases) have been hospitalised and of those hospitalised, 59 cases have been admitted to ICU. 

‘Everybody’s interest’ 

Thousands of gardaí on foot, bike and mobile patrol will be out around the country this weekend as part of the force’s nationwide policing operation focused on supporting public compliance with the new restrictions. 

The policing operation will run from this evening until 7am on Monday morning.

Gardaí said they will be encouraging people to maintain the necessary public health measures but it will intervene where venues/ outlets are not in compliance or where groups of people are not adhering to recommended measures.

“An Garda Síochána’s priority is keeping people safe and that will continue this weekend. There will be a major policing plan across the country with high visibility of Garda members at key locations,” Commissioner Drew Harris said. 

It is vital that people adhere to the social distancing guidelines. This will reduce the spread of Covid-19 and save lives. The vast majority of people are complying with the guidelines and we want that to continue this weekend. By all of us working together, we can flatten the curve and keep our loved ones safe.

An Garda Síochána have asked people and families not to attend popular locations for overly long periods and where the numbers of persons start to increase at any location to leave such areas.

Deputy Commissioner John Twomey said that gardaí will police with the consent of the people, “as it has always done”. 

“It is in everybody’s interest that people comply with these measures,” Twomey added. 

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.

View 520 comments
Close
520 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 David Dickenson
    Favourite David Dickenson
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:05 PM

    God help them, they have slumped down to our level.

    193
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Emeralds
    Favourite Emeralds
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 2:20 PM

    But a level above the UK, where parliament declines to make gender-selective abortions illegal

    http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-31596968

    and where aborted babies are burned for fuel

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/03/15/aborted-babies-incinerated-to-heat-uk-hospitals/

    47
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Francis Mc Carthy
    Favourite Francis Mc Carthy
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 2:34 PM

    @Emeralds : Is the practice of gender selective abortions illegal in the UK ?

    6
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute OpenBorders
    Favourite OpenBorders
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 10:55 PM

    @Emeralds: All post-operation material is incinerated on health and safety grounds, what do you think happens to it? That it’s freeze dried and put in a frame?

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Daly
    Favourite Tony Daly
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 12:55 PM

    Only in India?

    Or maybe not, now that I think of Tuam and other places in Ireland.

    130
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciarán Masterson
    Favourite Ciarán Masterson
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:00 PM

    @Tony Daly:

    Horrific as it is that children who died in that “home” in Tuam were buried that manner, the consequences of sex-selective abortion are potentially apocalyptic, i.e. numerical imbalance between the sexes, which means that many men in India (and China) can’t get a potential wife, leading to more violence against women, and also possibly to a third world war because of all that testosterone.

    102
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Deborah Behan
    Favourite Deborah Behan
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 5:14 PM

    This is why feminism is needed. Women can earn money just as well as men and the idea of a dowery is out dated and should be stamped out. Inequality will hurt this male generation greatly.

    41
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel R
    Favourite Daniel R
    Report
    Mar 8th 2017, 2:46 AM

    Exactly. Feminists should concentrate their efforts on countries like India and the Middle East instead of on trivialities in the West.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciarán Masterson
    Favourite Ciarán Masterson
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 12:56 PM

    And Indian people have the nerve to lecture us about women’s rights?!

    128
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O Keeffe
    Favourite Dave O Keeffe
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 2:04 PM

    Yeah because she people are able to look and see that both are wrong

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Deborah Behan
    Favourite Deborah Behan
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 5:12 PM

    Yeah. Sure aren’t we perfect!

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Emmet O'Keeffe
    Favourite Emmet O'Keeffe
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:20 PM

    The horrors of the abortion industry.

    78
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Censored
    Favourite Censored
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:27 PM

    Liberals go crazy at this, yet when a feminist says she will abort a male foetus, nobody cares

    60
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James
    Favourite James
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:38 PM

    No word from you of course on the poor woman who died during one of these ILLEGAL ABORTIONS. Of course not.. just another article for your scrap book of fetus porn.

    37
    See 15 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Emmet O'Keeffe
    Favourite Emmet O'Keeffe
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:42 PM

    The liberal/feminist argument is riddled with cognitive dissonance and hypocrisy.

    43
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thunder Snowman
    Favourite Thunder Snowman
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:48 PM

    Are you serious Censored? One woman ever who said she aborted a foetus purely based on the sex versus tens of millions of female foetuses aborted. This is not the right topic for you to push your anti choice agenda, it’s female infanticide.

    46
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Censored
    Favourite Censored
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 2:09 PM

    Merely pointing out a double standard. No need to wet yourself.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thunder Snowman
    Favourite Thunder Snowman
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 2:15 PM

    Like I said Censored, you cannot compare one known case against millions. This really is not the right thread to incite your anti female rhetoric.

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Emeralds
    Favourite Emeralds
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 2:17 PM

    It’s not one known case against millions (there’s a lot more than one anyway).

    Every case of gender-selective abortion is the same, regardless of whether you’re killing the foetus for being male or female.

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Titus Groan
    Favourite Titus Groan
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 2:39 PM

    Well if twitter says it, it must be true. Your point is moronic and that has been clearly illustrated to you. You jog on. Place and time, sunny Jim.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thunder Snowman
    Favourite Thunder Snowman
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 2:51 PM

    What feminists say on Twitter? Come back to me when they start digging up graves full of dead baby boys.

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Censored
    Favourite Censored
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 3:14 PM

    So Twitter is only representative when you want it to be. Nice liberal hypocrisy

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thunder Snowman
    Favourite Thunder Snowman
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 3:18 PM

    I’ve never recited Twitter comments as facts, that’s all you.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Emmet O'Keeffe
    Favourite Emmet O'Keeffe
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 4:39 PM

    @Titus Groan:
    It does highlight the horrors of abortion though.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Deborah Behan
    Favourite Deborah Behan
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 5:18 PM

    It highlights a society that does not value women as being equal to men. Boys are better so kill the girls only leads to a lot of lonely boys.

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thunder Snowman
    Favourite Thunder Snowman
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 5:42 PM

    Who’s to say if abortion was illegal they wouldn’t have just killed the female babies when born. This article is about female infanticide, not abortion.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean @114
    Favourite Sean @114
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 6:37 PM

    I notice that you use the phrase “kill the girls” there Deborah. A lot of abortionists would take umbrage with you over that terminology. The pregnancy is being terminated, not a person, nobody is dying etc. etc.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute A H
    Favourite A H
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 8:54 PM

    Actually Sean by the time you can tell the sex, it’s pretty much almost a baby by then in fairness.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean @114
    Favourite Sean @114
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 9:00 PM

    Most fanatical abortionists will deny the baby’s existence until it exits the womb. It is purely a foetus and fair game for dismemberment beforehand. I know it’s madness but it’s true.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Peter Fox
    Favourite Peter Fox
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 12:59 PM

    Nothing compared to our septic Isle!

    47
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciarán Masterson
    Favourite Ciarán Masterson
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:09 PM

    @Peter Fox:

    Our island has had many atrocities but the Indian subcontinent makes it look like Tellytubbyland, e.g. the massacres committed by mutinous sepoys in 1857, by Hindu and Muslim militant groups against each other’s co-religionists in 1947 (There were more massacres of Muslim civilians in India in recent years), by the Pakistani Army against Bengalis in 1971 and by Sri Lankan Army against Tamils in 2009, the persecution of Christians and Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan.

    50
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Banana Rama
    Favourite Banana Rama
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:31 PM

    …aaand that’s why i’m against abortion.

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark Gearey
    Favourite Mark Gearey
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:37 PM

    @Banana Rama: You’re against abortion cos they use it to select the gender of their baby in parts of india. That’s very specific. Maybe that’s not what u meant.

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean @114
    Favourite Sean @114
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 6:42 PM

    In the US it’s used 96% of the time for ‘convenience reasons’ according to their national stats. These reasons include; interfere with career or job prospects, too costly, too young to raise etc. Surely gender is a weak enough excuse also? About 900,000 abortions in the US in 2015 were for these convenience reasons. Is this acceptable? If it is then surely gender is also acceptable? You can’t have it every way.

    12
    See 7 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Francis Mc Carthy
    Favourite Francis Mc Carthy
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 7:06 PM

    @Sean @114: Hi Sean :) What number of abortions in the first trimester would be acceptable to you ?

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean @114
    Favourite Sean @114
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 7:21 PM

    Any number for FFA or mother’s life at risk. How about post first trimester for you Francis. There were about 91,000 of these in 2015 in the US alone. Where do you stand on post first trimester abortions Francis? I won’t bore you with the gorey unsightly youtube dismemberment videos as shock tactics are not my style. Thanks

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Francis Mc Carthy
    Favourite Francis Mc Carthy
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 7:52 PM

    As you quoted the % of abortions in the first trimester that happen in America,what would your preferred % be ? Now,it’s pointless saying 0% as we both know that that is just pie in the sky stuff.

    I have no issue whatsoever with safe,legal 1st,2nd,3rd trimester abortions.
    As for your videos,why would you want me to watch something that I have no interest whatsoever in watching? Yikes!

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean @114
    Favourite Sean @114
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 7:58 PM

    Well I guess your words speak volumes there Francis. Couldn’t care less basically. For somebody who has no interest and doesn’t care you sure comment a lot on the subject. Anyway you know my stance on abortion, I think it’s an acceptable option in any trimester in a FFA or danger to woman’s life scenario. You on the other hand would clearly be content with limitless abortions at any stage of development and for any reason. That is something that I am vehemently opposed to but I respect your opinion all the same.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Francis Mc Carthy
    Favourite Francis Mc Carthy
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 8:10 PM

    @Sean @114: They do Sean.But you don’t even take the woman’s physical/mental well-being,into your considerations.It is birth all the way if mr/ms embryo is healthy.If the woman dies during her unwanted pregnancy,so what.

    I’m a realist Sean,you have nearly a million abortions happening every year in the US,they will not magically go away.Best to have them in a safe environment..

    Anybody like to buy a baby ? Genuine question as the back babies are going cheap.

    http://www.npr.org/2013/06/27/195967886/six-words-black-babies-cost-less-to-adopt

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean @114
    Favourite Sean @114
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 8:41 PM

    Yes danger to woman’s life so that would be considered health. The US abortion stats won’t go away Francis because there is no legislation preventing the act. That’s why the 8th must be repealed but not abolished. It’s like saying that gun killings will not decrease in the US because we won’t ban the sale of guns. You will never protect all lives but you can protect some.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Francis Mc Carthy
    Favourite Francis Mc Carthy
    Report
    Mar 8th 2017, 5:13 AM

    @Sean @114: “The US abortion stats won’t go away Francis because there is no legislation preventing the act”

    And before the legislation was brought in Sean,there were about 800,000 illegal abortions being carried out.The death rate per year was around 5,000 and “God” only knows how many women turned up at A&E’s with severe complications.Are these the times that the “pro life” people want to go back to? A time where only the well-to-do could get an abortion in a safe environment ? Okey dokey!

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Robert O'Neill
    Favourite Robert O'Neill
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:11 PM

    Send our nuns home

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Emmet O'Keeffe
    Favourite Emmet O'Keeffe
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:17 PM

    @Robert O’Neill:
    ‘Aborted foetuses’

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Censored
    Favourite Censored
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:24 PM

    Wait, I thought abortion was liberal?

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark Gearey
    Favourite Mark Gearey
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:35 PM

    @Censored: Abortion is grand altogether. It’s favouring one gender over the other that’s not so good. Leaves lots of unattached men in society and a lot of the time they are up to no good. What was your point again?

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Banana Rama
    Favourite Banana Rama
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:38 PM

    I swear, the world ‘liberal’ now sends shivers down my spine. We’re heading for such a miserable, lawless world.

    40
    See 5 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Byrne
    Favourite Martin Byrne
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:43 PM

    Liberal means nothing. I’m pro choice but that doesn’t mean I’m ok with this kind of thing. But if you are dumb enough to think that this is an abortion problem rather than a women’s rights problem then I despair for the world.

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James
    Favourite James
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 2:11 PM

    It’s the “liberals” that allow Iona and Youth Defense (same thing) a platform in the discussion at all rather than have Revenue and the Charities Regulator go through their accounts like a dose of salts… and don’t for a second pretend you’re not affiliated to them…

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Emeralds
    Favourite Emeralds
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 2:15 PM

    If you’re pro-choice then you can’t have a problem with this kind of thing

    As Ann Furedi (Chief Exec of BPAS) said; “You can’t be pro-choice except when you don’t like the choice, because that’s not pro-choice at all.”

    https://www.google.ie/amp/www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/pro-choice-abortion-charity-bpas-chief-exec-ann-furedi-says-women-are-legally-free-to-terminate-8824854.html%3Famp

    And she’s far from alone

    https://www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/19/sex-selective-abortion-womans-right

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James
    Favourite James
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 2:29 PM

    Really… you can’t be pro choice and against illegal abortions being carried out…. hmmm

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute MuckyMoo
    Favourite MuckyMoo
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 5:07 PM

    @James: Pro choice people don’t believe abortions should be considered illegal so no. Same way they go around handing out illegal pills to girls

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jake Gundersonn
    Favourite Jake Gundersonn
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:54 PM

    Liberals probably feel the need to legalise and repeal this practice of sex selective abortion now. Imagine if liberals did rule, imagine how cold hearted and dead society would become. People would have equal value to an inanimate object . No culture and everyone being the same. Deciding to have a family would be considered archaic and old school as the population plummets down to economically disastrous levels. Oh yes and they think conservatives are bad

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O Keeffe
    Favourite Dave O Keeffe
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 2:05 PM

    Jake, this isn’t your first argument against giving people more rights is it?

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Deborah Behan
    Favourite Deborah Behan
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 5:22 PM

    Yeah just let men set the rules like the good old days.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute George McCarthy
    Favourite George McCarthy
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 1:35 PM

    India is Ireland 50 years ago.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute MuckyMoo
    Favourite MuckyMoo
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 5:06 PM

    Will the people who shout repeal the 8th shout it in the name of the girls to are killed just because they are girls?

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Francis Mc Carthy
    Favourite Francis Mc Carthy
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 6:13 PM

    @MuckyMoo: Can you give us a list of their names ? Thanks.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean @114
    Favourite Sean @114
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 7:41 PM

    Ask Deborah up above. She was banging on about the Indians killing the girls. Something doesn’t have to have a name for it to be alive Francis. You do realise that, yes? How do you feel about post first trimester abortions? There were 91,000 of these in the US in 2015. All ok with you? Thanks

    10
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Francis Mc Carthy
    Favourite Francis Mc Carthy
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 7:59 PM

    @Sean @114: I have no problem whatsoever with those procedures.

    You are the lad that wants every woman to go full term with an unwanted pregnancy.YIKES!

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean @114
    Favourite Sean @114
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 8:42 PM

    Really? Where did I say that Francis or are you making things up again?

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brendan Moriarty
    Favourite Brendan Moriarty
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 3:38 PM

    They have sewers in India? #WentThere

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John O'Driscoll
    Favourite John O'Driscoll
    Report
    Mar 7th 2017, 3:10 PM

    India’s Tuam.

    2
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