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Health Minister Simon Harris spoke to TheJournal.ie today about future testing, holidaymakers, and social distancing.

Simon Harris: 'Ireland needs a day where people can grieve for those who have died during this pandemic'

Ramping up testing, a day for Ireland to grieve, and another bank holiday – just some of the plans for during and after the Covid-19 crisis.

IT’S THREE DAYS since Taoiseach Leo Varadkar addressed the nation and told the Irish public the plan to reopen the country will take a number of months. 

The reality of the roadmap has settled in with people, with many realising it will be some weeks before they see their loved ones, but even longer before they can feel the embrace of family and friends. 

In an exclusive interview with Health Minister Simon Harris today, he told TheJournal.ie that frontline workers not in the health service, such as essential workers or public service workers, might be next in line for future testing.

He revealed that there are still big question marks over when people can set the date for their weddings, when people can book holidays abroad, and when people can even hug each other.  

The minister also revealed that an extra bank holiday might be a good idea for later this year and how he wants a special date set aside so people can remember those that have lost their lives during this public health emergency.

Hugs, kisses, social interaction

“It’s bloody tough on people, like, it really is,” said the minister, sitting in a meeting room in the Department of Health on Bank Holiday Monday, just a stone’s throw from where the daily Covid-19 case numbers and deaths are announced each day.

When asked about the headline of a newspaper today that reads: ‘No hugs for granny’, the minister sighs.

He does not know when grandparents will be able to hold their grandchildren again, he says.

But it is not just grandparents, it’s parents, boyfriends, girlfriends and partners who are affected. 

“The only honest answer I can give to people is the quicker we can really weaken the virus, the more we can begin to look at all of these issues. Like all of these things, they are medically under review, so people will be glad to know it’s not me deciding who can kiss who. It’s our doctors giving us the best medical advice as to how to stay safe,” said Harris.

“I mean, at the moment nobody can say when physical distancing won’t apply. Remember the reason we’re doing this, when you talk about grannies and granddads, is to keep them safe. All of us want to hug our grannies and grandads but none of us want to risk making them sick in doing so.”

The minister is keen to stress that cocooning is going to evolve as the plan goes on.

“The more we can suppress and weaken the virus, the more we will be able to evolve cocooning. Cocooning isn’t a policy or a restriction, cocooning is just sharing the best public health advice that we have with our over 70s. But I can’t lie to people, and I can’t give people false hope either,” he said, stating that the virus is more deadly to older and more vulnerable people. 

Setting the date

While Covid-19 is a public health emergency, it has impacted all aspects of life for people, including those who plan to get married. Some smaller weddings should be able to be held from 20 July, with larger ones on the cards for after 10 August under current plans.

But there is not a lot of detail on what that means for people looking to book dates, send invites, organise music and get photographers. 

“Our roadmap isn’t prescriptive; we haven’t said, you know, ‘you can have a wedding if there’s X number’ and ‘you can’t have this Y number’. We have to be a little bit arbitrary at the moment,” said Harris.

He said the plan sets out that it is not going to be possible to hold a wedding in the first few phases, but as the roadmap moves forward more details will be published.

“I’ve received about five change the date messages for weddings that were due to take place this year that people have moved to next year. So I know a lot of people are making these decisions in consultation with their venue and their family and their friends. I know it’s a  really stressful and difficult time, but I can’t today provide that degree of certainty to people. I can’t guarantee that on X date this will be possible. But what I can tell you is, as we move through the plan that each phase we will be trying to provide more detail on what the next phase might look,” he said. 

Over the weekend, Harris also dampened down any prospect of people jetting off on holidays this year, stating that foreign travel was looking “highly unlikely”. 

When will people be able to book trips away? The short answer is the government doesn’t know yet.

“I hope I didn’t over overstate what I was trying to say. I was just making the honest point, just being blunt and honest with people, as I have throughout this, is at the moment, the travel advice from our country is don’t leave the island. So that’s the advice today -  you shouldn’t leave the island in your own interest -  and that advice may change, but it hasn’t changed now. And I haven’t received any indication from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) that they’re about to change.”

001 NO FEE Community Assessment Hub Minister for Health Simon Harris, HSE CEO Paul Reid and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at a Covid-19 Community Assessment Hub in DCU. Photocall Ireland Photocall Ireland

Anyone also planning to travel abroad this year should be aware that there is a 14-day isolation period when you arrive back in Ireland. 

“We will lift all of these as quickly as we can but at the moment, there isn’t a date in the calendar in which this will be definitively lifted… Whether something will be possible later in the year, God willing, I think lots of us would like that to be the case. And maybe it’ll be possible to have  staycations, where people can take a holiday within their own country.”

Another bank holiday?

On a positive note, when asked about the possibility of Ireland perhaps getting an extra bank holiday in the latter part of this year, seeing as some of the most popular days off will have occurred when people have been stuck at home, the minister is open to the idea. 

“Yeah, I think when the country gets through this – and we will get through it – and it’s safe to begin to do some normal things again, I think there would be some benefit in having a day to recognise all that people have been through and sacrificed, that people might be able to enjoy with their family and friends,” said Harris.

However, he said there would be no point in having such a day any time soon, if you have to tell people they can’t go near their loved ones, or limit the number of people allowed.

“So, it might be a little bit further off,” he said.

There are two things he definitely wants done after the pandemic passes. Harris wants a special day to express gratitude to frontline workers.

This would include healthcare workers, but also supermarket workers, postmen and women, gardaí, security staff, cleaning staff, people who work in food factories, bin collectors – what Harris calls the “unsung heroes”.

Finding a way to grieve

He also wants to find a way to allow the country to grieve for its losses. 

While he wouldn’t necessarily call it a memorial day, he said there should be a day where people can grieve for those who have died of Covid-19 and those who passed away of non-Covid related illnesses and where a normal funeral could not be held.

“People haven’t been able to go to the house and give the family a hug and attend the wake and go to the funeral… we do funerals well in Ireland, I think we grieve quite publicly and openly as a community. Lots and lots of communities have been touched by this. And I think we need to recognise that,” he said.

Before we get to the stage where a celebration day for workers or an extra bank holiday is on the cards, the country has to make its way through the five phases of the exit plan.

There has been commentary in recent days about it – both for and against the strategy.

Cabinet ministers have voiced their concerns about its pace, as have some top officials in government, who worry that the longer Ireland stays in lockdown the more damage will be done to the economy. 

However, the RED C poll published in the Business Post newspaper yesterday, which was taken in late April, in advance of the announcement of the roadmap, indicated that 75% of people were willing to see a further extension of lockdown restrictions. 

birthday party 08 Ashton Carolan (10) from Dublin enjoys a social distancing birthday party with a difference in the driveway of his home today. Sam Boal Sam Boal

Today, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern referenced Ireland and the slow, drawn-out plan in place before normality will resume. She said the lifting of restrictions in her country is happening much faster. 

When asked about this, Harris said each country’s plan can’t be pitted against each other.

It’s obviously her job to protect people in New Zealand and to run New Zealand’s response. It is our job to run Ireland’s response. The situation in every country is very different. And there is no readymade plan that you can just pick up from one country and transpose to another.
And I think Prime Minister Ardern seems to have done a very good job in New Zealand. But we also know that this is a virus that travels around the world and we don’t yet know when the story of this virus is going to end.
I think it’s too premature for any country to believe it’s out of the woods in relation to it. I’m not saying that the prime minister believes that, but the plan we’ve put in place is based on our best public health advice, and I have no interest in putting forward a plan that is politically ambitious and perhaps even politically expedient but would risk people’s lives. 

Harris said the roadmap published on Friday is “very much an interactive, living, breathing document”. One top official said that is the phrase used by civil servants to say there is “no real plan”.

That could ring true as ministers, including the health minister, have indicated that things in the plan could be expedited.

‘Chink of light’

“If we can move things from one phase to the other on the basis of public health, we will definitely do that. But we’re not going to look over our shoulder at any other country and feel pressurised to move quicker. We’re going to do what’s right by Ireland, what’s right by the health of our people,” said Harris, who added that the plan has given people a ‘chink of light’.

“We would all like these restrictions to be lifted yesterday on a human level – of course we would, they are really tough. And we’re not going to leave them in place for one moment longer than is required, but nor are we going to put together a plan to try and be politically attractive … this isn’t an election manifesto. This is a public health document,” said the minister. 

While we have a document outlining each phase, questions have also been asked about what targets the virus numbers will have to reach before each phase kicks in. The document says there is a decision mechanism framework, but gives no specific figures. 

Harris said there is no “magic number” but rather a trend of trajectory that must be achieved.

He said lockdown restrictions kicked in when there were 70 people in ICU, and for things to resume to some level of normality, that figure or a lower one would have to be reached.

Today, the latest figures show another fall to 93 people in ICU. Yesterday it was 99. It peaked at 160 last month.

The reproductive rate – which is the number that indicates how many people a confirmed case of Covid-19 infects – is now in a good place, said Harris today. 

When the Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan was talking about flattening the curve, people will probably remember talk of getting the reproductive number below one. It now is stable between 0.5-0.8, said the minister. 

Harris said it “is a really good sign. It means the virus is not able to sustain itself at its current rate, and will be suppressed”. So keeping the number below one is definitely one key metric.

The minister said there are a number of metrics that will be considered, such as the ICU numbers and the number of new cases.

016 Dept of Health briefing (1) Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer. RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

Numbers to watch

The ICU number has been “falling and falling” but it’s still higher than it was when we locked down the country.

Harris said there are encouraging signs in the number of new cases in recent days. For seven days in a row now the rate of growth has been 2% or less. It was about “5% or 6% two weeks ago, and 33% at one stage,” said Harris.

If your number of new cases falls then the number of the percentage of people going into ICU would fall, the percentage of people sadly dying would fall, so the number of new cases is a key number to watch.

The minister said the next two weeks are crucial.

“We should hopefully see at the end of that two weeks when we get to 18 May far fewer people in our ICU, far fewer people in our hospitals, fewer new cases, the reproductive number stable and below one for two or three weeks. That will give our plan the best chance of success.”

However, the government has also been criticised for sending out mixed messages when it comes to Ireland’s testing capacity. The Sunday Times reported yesterday that the minister misunderstood experts when he predicted 15,000 daily Covid-19 tests would be carried out per day.  

Harris denies this, saying that it was Ireland’s plan to do 15,000 tests  a day as quickly as possible, rather than immediately. 

“Then obviously a lot of complications arose,” he admitted, explaining that there were issues with reagent. 

“If our virus was in a very good place and it was just a case of testing, we would have enough testing capacity to begin the easing of our restrictions in accordance with our plan,” he said. 

Today, the HSE boss Paul Reid confirmed to the minister that we have the capacity to do 12,000 tests a day. From 18 May, the capacity will reach 15,000 per day, the minister said. 

“The more testing we can do, and the quicker we could do it, the better. I think the HSE have done a really good job on this, and gone from having no labs in Ireland ever having done this test to 27 labs now, and 40 or so testing centres across the country, I’m happy with the trajectory we’re on – but we have to be honest with people here. This is constantly going to be a challenging area, not just for Ireland but for every country because we’re all competing,” he said. 

Harris said ramping up of testing will continue and the criteria for testing will be expanded. 

While testing has been prioritised for healthcare workers, other frontline workers not involved in the health service may be tested en masse in the future. 

“We will be deciding in Ireland who to test on the basis of the case definition, so it won’t be a political decision, it will be a public health decision led by doctors – what are the groups in society that we most need to test on public health grounds. So far, it’s been linked to symptoms, priority groups, and also asymptomatic people, like for example residents in nursing homes.

“I don’t want to speculate on who will be next but the public health teams will be deciding to broaden that to bring in more and more people -  perhaps more frontline workers, perhaps frontline workers working outside the health service, perhaps easing the symptom prevalence even more,” he said. 

He added that he is not envisaging making the testing mandatory, but he does envisage a very significant expansion of increasing the number of tests. 

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93 Comments
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    Mute Niall Lee
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    May 4th 2020, 7:41 PM

    Another bank holiday a one off would be nice remembrance for anyone who passed away during this sad time

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    Mute Tommy C
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    May 4th 2020, 8:48 PM

    @Niall Lee: it will be a Saturday

    32
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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    May 4th 2020, 8:57 PM

    @Niall Lee: at least have a day with a moments silence followed by a minute of applause fir front line workers.

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    Mute Anne Kearney
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    May 4th 2020, 9:10 PM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: with essential workers still having to work! Can we try to do something that allows them some time off, maybe an extra annual leave dat for people working in acute hospitals nursing homes etc. rather then another day of for the masses who have sat at home?
    Absolutely have a minutes silence or other recognition too.

    56
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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    May 4th 2020, 9:20 PM

    @Anne Kearney: I’d like yo point out that I said “at least”. Also, I’d like to point out that I was the one that brought up the idea of doing something for front like workers on this article. PS I’m not one of the masses you describe but I do see that they are suffering.

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    Mute Greedylocks
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    May 4th 2020, 9:32 PM

    @Niall Lee: maybe a day to reflect on why people are allowed to pass away alone, there has to be a a more dignified solution.

    23
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    Mute Geraldine Glynn
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    May 4th 2020, 8:01 PM

    Good suggestion. We can name the date later when we are in the clear.
    Maybe August bank holiday monday.
    As regards his misspeaking it is tiresome and ungracious to keep on attacking him for a minor faux pas.
    Who among us ha not made a mistake.Get over it.

    326
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    Mute We Love Katamari
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    May 4th 2020, 8:08 PM

    @david Glynn: hi david. the journal finally do the right thing and ban your main account?

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    Mute Geraldine Glynn
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    May 4th 2020, 8:23 PM

    @We Love Katamari: I will ignore that stupid comment. You are not the arbiter as to who makes comments, thankfully as it would be North Korea all the way if you had your way. Do you never get fed up being a stooge for Risen Larkin toadying to them all the time. It’s just boring and predictable. And try using your real name.
    It adds credibility something you sorely lack..

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    Mute Cormac Laffan
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    May 4th 2020, 8:30 PM

    @Geraldine Glynn: So it was banned?

    55
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    Mute The Risen
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    May 4th 2020, 8:41 PM

    @Cormac Laffan: I think the comment above yours answers that question. I wonder if Geraldine knows he’s using her facebook profile to post the same guff on the internet?

    46
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    Mute Diarmuid
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    May 4th 2020, 8:44 PM

    @David Glynn: Ah David, I see you finally had to operation you’ve been promising yourself. Say hi to Josephine for me LOL….

    47
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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    May 4th 2020, 8:55 PM

    @Geraldine Glynn: “try using your real name” David Glynn (as Geraldine Glynn)

    43
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    Mute Geraldine Glynn
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    May 4th 2020, 10:11 PM

    @The Risen: Absolutely none of your business SF indoctrinator Unlike you I post in my own name. I am not a Twitter joiner with an inactive account and no followers. Hiding behind a moniker which degrades a brave Patriot..
    Always so predictable with the same parroting narrative. Boring and no credibility.
    Come out ye bot and post in your own name.

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    Mute We Love Katamari
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    May 4th 2020, 10:38 PM

    @David Glynn: So not only are you using your daughters/daughter-in-laws facebook account because the journal banned you, you think people are dumb enough to believe its not you when you are using the exact same language as before hahahaha

    33
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    Mute Geraldine Glynn
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    May 4th 2020, 10:50 PM

    @We Love Katamari: Who are you. Come out and use your real name. Why the skulking.
    How dare you question my genuine postings in my own name.
    All of my family reject SF and their absurd policies. We are not alone.
    WHO ARE YOU.

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    May 4th 2020, 11:14 PM

    @Geraldine Glynn: eh Geraldine, he wasn’t talking to you. He was clearly talking to David. But you replied. Odd that isn’t it?

    34
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    Mute john gavin
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    May 4th 2020, 11:39 PM

    @Geraldine Glynn: be careful Geraldine, you could be knee capped@

    8
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    Mute Geraldine Glynn
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    May 5th 2020, 12:23 AM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: Idiot. His response was to me. Do you like bullying women.

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    Mute We Love Katamari
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    May 5th 2020, 12:50 AM

    @ David Glynn: a man whos pretending to be a woman whos pretending to be bullied. sad

    23
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    Mute Criostoir Mac Ranghaill
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    May 5th 2020, 1:04 AM

    @Geraldine Glynn: So sad you are so open to your hatred and bitterness to others in our society.

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    Mute Agenda21
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    May 5th 2020, 1:16 AM

    @Geraldine Glynn: your not a woman though are you and I doubt you’ve had a sex change in the last few months with the covid-19 as that would be selfish

    12
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    Mute Agenda21
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    May 5th 2020, 3:19 AM

    @Geraldine Glynn: dictating in a concerned facade when people shouuld mourn their loved ones whether family or friends for the good of the nation again.. A fair aul number of deaths have been labelled as covid-19 but the individual that died from heart attack, stroke, cancer are being blanketed with covid-19 on the DC and loved ones are being lied to and refused normal grieving. There is something that shouldn’t be encouraged geraldine, I mean David

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    Mute Agenda21
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    May 5th 2020, 3:43 AM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: bet your FG and Davaldine FF. Do I detect an infection in the two as a HOLE

    3
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    Mute Agenda21
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    May 5th 2020, 4:28 AM

    @Geraldine Glynn: Davaldine

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    May 5th 2020, 5:31 AM

    @Agenda21: are you ever here sober? The hours you post comments and the content of those comments seem to suggest not.

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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    May 5th 2020, 1:33 PM

    @Geraldine Glynn: Mistakes ? Anyone can make a mistake.. The fact Harris threatened striking nurses with fines if they did not return to work was not a mistake by him and Vareadkar who supported him it’s a fact. To put these two on a pedestal is Hypocrisy.

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    Mute Diarmuid
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    May 4th 2020, 7:44 PM

    I really can’t take this kid serious after his ’18 other covids’ balls up. To quote Gene Kerrigan in the Indo,it displayed “a puzzling, shocking ignorance”.

    Is the point of him really to read out what the HSE hands him and state the obvious like in this article?

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    May 4th 2020, 7:48 PM

    @Diarmuid: a man under immense levels of stress with an underlying condition that responds terribly to that stress made a statement in error. At least he doesn’t actually believe it.

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    Mute John fitzpatrick
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    May 4th 2020, 7:53 PM

    @Diarmuid: are you and Larkin the one? Same jibe every day.

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    Mute JPM
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    May 4th 2020, 7:54 PM

    @Diarmuid: you listen and quote Gene Kerrigan. Sad git

    69
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    Mute Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh
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    May 4th 2020, 7:55 PM

    @Diarmuid: I would be fairly sure the HSE don’t employ writers. The 18 Covids remarks was a bit stupid but completely inconsequential. The Government and the HSE have done an excellent job so far containing the spread of this virus, and managing the short term economic fall out
    The very pathetic Sinn Féin anti HSE social media blitz is backfiring. It really is turning people against them

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    Mute MitchConnor
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    May 4th 2020, 7:55 PM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: so you’re saying he’s not fit for the job.

    37
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    Mute We Love Katamari
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    May 4th 2020, 7:58 PM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: the wasnt a statement in error, it was a lack of basic knowledge

    66
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    Mute jackamy
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    May 4th 2020, 7:59 PM

    @Diarmuid: I’d say he would be pretty happy if this is all you lot have to bang on about at this stage?

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    Mute Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh
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    May 4th 2020, 8:12 PM

    @We Love Katamari: How do you know that?

    15
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    Mute Jimmy Mac
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    May 4th 2020, 8:13 PM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: He’s a clown

    27
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    Mute KEN L
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    May 4th 2020, 8:20 PM

    @Diarmuid:

    i really can’t take you seriously when you dismiss an intelligent and compassionate democratically elected 33 year old as “this kid”

    77
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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    May 4th 2020, 8:23 PM

    @Diarmuid: I for one was reassured when he said the Easter Bunny was still coming to ireland.

    41
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    Mute The Risen
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    May 4th 2020, 8:40 PM

    @KEN L: Yes yes, we all remember Simon Harris ‘compassionately’ threatening the nurses whose coattails he’s now riding along with Leo.

    63
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    Mute Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh
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    May 4th 2020, 8:51 PM

    @The Risen: You are a sad man/woman

    46
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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    May 4th 2020, 8:53 PM

    @MitchConnor: where did I say that? I didn’t vote fg but I can definitely see the value in not having brand new people in key positions right now

    23
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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    May 4th 2020, 8:59 PM

    @We Love Katamari: it wasn’t though. He had said before that that covid-19 was corona virus dosease 2019

    10
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    Mute David Daly
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    May 4th 2020, 9:27 PM

    @Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh: inconsequential? He is the minister for health. Its his job to know that…

    21
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    Mute Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh
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    May 4th 2020, 9:49 PM

    @David Daly: No its not.

    12
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    Mute Diarmuid
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    May 4th 2020, 9:57 PM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: His exact words : ““Remember this is coronavirus Covid-19, that means there’s been eighteen other coronaviruses and I don’t think they’ve successfully found a vaccine for any.””

    30
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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    May 4th 2020, 10:08 PM

    @Diarmuid: aw, are you sad that nobody claimed he didn’t say it?

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    Mute Geraldine Glynn
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    May 4th 2020, 10:21 PM

    @The Risen: We all remember the he nurses up north on actual strike weeks back trying to regain pay parity with the rest of the UK .To get back the money that DUPSF purloined from them. First strike in over 100 years. .

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    Mute The Risen
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    May 4th 2020, 11:08 PM

    @Geraldine Glynn: Any relation to David Glynn? ;)

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    Mute Agenda21
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    May 5th 2020, 5:19 AM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: he is under pressure like us all but not really, these guys are reading scripts. The reason he’s under pressure is most of the electorate were already sick of himself and LV, Murphy and Harris etc… That’s why only 1 of them showed their face in the last election

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    May 5th 2020, 5:34 AM

    @Agenda21: nah, the reason they’re under pressure is because there’s a global pandemic and they’re in charge of a national response. The election is over. I didn’t vote for them (you won’t believe that and that’s fine) but after an election in our system we get whatever can form a government. None yet, hopefully whatever is formed doesn’t last long.

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    Mute Karen Delaney
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    May 4th 2020, 8:28 PM

    We did a National Day of Mourning for the victims of 9/11 and rightly so. The least we can do is honour all of our friends who have died as a result of this awful pandemic. A National Day of Mourning would seem an appropriate way to go.

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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    May 4th 2020, 9:04 PM

    Good read that. Simon is doing a great job. The shinner propagandists on the comments here can’t stand that he is doing so good. If he came up with a vaccine for covid 19 (and the other 18 lol) … they would still be complaining!

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    Mute Criostoir Mac Ranghaill
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    May 4th 2020, 11:29 PM

    @Fionn Darland: A typical comment from a narrow minded person who needs to forget her bitterness of others

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    Mute Peter Clancy
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    May 5th 2020, 7:46 AM

    @Criostoir Mac Ranghaill: Are you talking about Mary Lou?

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    Mute Niall Sheridan
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    May 4th 2020, 8:32 PM

    When this is over how about keeping beds, hospitals hired and staff on for 3/4 months and clearing the other public health emergency – the waiting lists!

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    Mute Sharp Elsi Mate
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    May 4th 2020, 10:41 PM

    @Niall Sheridan: they have already stated they are looking at this by using the private hospitals they have effectively leased

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    Mute Derek Kearney
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    May 4th 2020, 7:58 PM

    I also grieve for the unborn – it’s killed more in ireland than the corona virus

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    Mute John fitzpatrick
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    May 4th 2020, 8:05 PM

    @Derek Kearney: what has. What’s its?

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    Mute K C
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    May 4th 2020, 8:05 PM

    @Derek Kearney: here come the Bible bashers……

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    Mute Dell
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    May 4th 2020, 8:08 PM

    @Derek Kearney: the unborn are killing people?

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    Mute Jason Ebbs
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    May 4th 2020, 8:46 PM

    @Derek Kearney: Bore off !!! Not the time or place.

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    Mute Ger
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    May 4th 2020, 8:51 PM

    @Dell: we need to stop these murderous unborn

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    Mute Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh
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    May 4th 2020, 8:56 PM

    @Derek Kearney: .
    This virus has killed real people; father’s, mother’s brothers sisters. It is abhorrant to compare it with the medical removal of a 2 inch growth from a woman’s womb.

    51
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    Mute Criostoir Mac Ranghaill
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    May 4th 2020, 11:44 PM

    @John fitzpatrick: Simon Harris was one of the main supporters in implementing the murders of the unborn (Legalizing Aborton)
    Not forgetting the way the nursing homes were neglected by our health service sending many of our elderly to early graves

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    Mute OnlyHereForTheComments
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    May 4th 2020, 11:56 PM

    @Criostoir Mac Ranghaill: Why blame Harris? A significant majority of voters backed repeal. I know it’s difficult to handle being so completely and utterly out of touch with what most people wanted – you can either get your head around that, or spend the rest of your days festering in anger.

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    Mute Criostoir Mac Ranghaill
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    May 5th 2020, 1:07 AM

    @OnlyHereForTheComments: The referendum was not presented by the government to the people in a totally unbiased way

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    Mute Criostoir Mac Ranghaill
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    May 5th 2020, 1:11 AM

    @K C: When is Leo and the Harris twins going to allow the churches to open again for the elderly to worship

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    Mute Criostoir Mac Ranghaill
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    May 5th 2020, 1:14 AM

    @Dell: Who would be so cruel to kill the defenceless unborn Remember Karma

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    Mute Criostoir Mac Ranghaill
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    May 5th 2020, 1:16 AM

    @Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh: Sad all because of been neglected by the powers that be

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    Mute Fergus Lynch
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    May 5th 2020, 2:20 AM

    @Derek Kearney: another knuckledragger.

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    May 5th 2020, 10:08 AM

    @Criostoir Mac Ranghaill: churches will open when it’s safe to do so.

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    Mute pat seery
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    May 4th 2020, 8:32 PM

    Harris flying a kite to try and keep his name in the camp for the incoming Government god help us

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    Mute James Quinn
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    May 4th 2020, 8:03 PM

    We should all meet in the Phoenix park and hug each other !!!

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    Mute AOL
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    May 4th 2020, 9:27 PM

    We need to get back to work. Recession trump’s any virus. Especially one thats no worse than any other

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    Mute Imagine !
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    May 4th 2020, 10:35 PM

    How about a monument placed sideways on one of those concrete islands on O’Connell street. I suggest large concrete letters spelling the words REMEMBER ME. We could then place the names of all the dead on gold rectangular name plates placed onto those concrete letters with the date and name of the deceased. I came up with this concept myself a few days ago when thinking of what would be a fitting tribute to all of those who died alone at a time when funerals and a loving face was banned.

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    Mute john gavin
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    May 4th 2020, 11:58 PM

    @Imagine !: good idea! do you mean O’Connell St. Limerick or Dublin?

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    Mute Imagine !
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    May 5th 2020, 1:59 AM

    @john gavin: I was thinking the capital

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    Mute Dave Ashmore
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    May 4th 2020, 11:19 PM

    Apart from all the front line workers,one person stands out for me. Doctor Holohan,an absolute legend,if there’s gonna be a day of remembrance,he should be the one who leads it,he’s the one who has been head and shoulders above any politician throughout this whole sad saga. Just my opinion.

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    Mute Benny Dowling
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    May 4th 2020, 11:48 PM

    @Dave Ashmore: tell that to the ppl affected by the cervical check abomination

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    Mute Dave Ashmore
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    May 5th 2020, 1:17 AM

    @Benny Dowling: my apologies,I thought we were disc6the Covid 19 crisis.

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    Mute Dave Ashmore
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    May 5th 2020, 1:28 AM

    @Dave Ashmore: ‘discussing’.

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    Mute Agenda21
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    May 5th 2020, 4:37 AM

    @Dave Ashmore: discusting

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    Mute Eddie Michael
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    May 4th 2020, 10:04 PM

    I suppose it will only apply to civil servants like the child care that never happened…

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    Mute Christine Downey
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    May 4th 2020, 11:01 PM

    People grieve all their lives when someone dies.
    Not just for 1 day! Unfeeling baxxxrd!

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    Mute OnlyHereForTheComments
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    May 4th 2020, 11:57 PM

    @Christine Downey: Ok then, no day of rememberance. Happy now?

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    Mute Alan Currie
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    May 5th 2020, 9:18 AM

    @Christine Downey: how about a decade long funeral?

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    Mute Robert Nugent
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    May 4th 2020, 10:55 PM

    Any news when Ireland will have early Covid19 outpatient treatment like Italy, India, Bahrain, South Korea, Turkey, Costa Rica, Senegal, UAE?

    https://www.facebook.com/583616638514930/posts/1327668607443059/

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    Mute Nioe
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    May 5th 2020, 8:49 AM

    Silly idea. I have lost people to Covid-19 and also the regular winter flu in previous years. winter flu deaths are just as damaging and heartbreaking, just doesn’t get the media attention.

    Hopefully we as a country will take viral infections more seriously and keep many of the good hygiene practices we have learnt. Will saved lives every year in flu season.

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    Mute David Guiney
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    May 5th 2020, 12:11 PM

    What about all those that died from the other 18 covids?

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    Mute Vinylman_Teaboy
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    Jun 5th 2020, 2:17 PM

    We have a truly exceptional minister for propaganda

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