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Opinion We've adapted to remote working in a crisis - where do we go from here?

Rowena Hennigan is an expert in remote working. She says emergency remote working in the pandemic is not the way to approach remote working long term.

IN APRIL 2017, I swapped the Corrib river for the Ebro, moving from Galway to Zaragoza in Spain with my family. My partner and I are both remote workers, our daughter has chronic asthma so a move to a dryer climate was a better choice for her health. 

We started our new life in Zaragoza, finding a better work-life balance. I founded my RoRemote consultancy and began offering my services virtually to international clients. Having both worked remotely for some time, the transition to a new country was easier for us, as we had more autonomy during the transition.

My training and teachings are based on the belief that “effective and sustainable remote working is a discipline that needs to be learned and constantly improved on”. My professional ethos is #workisnotaplace.

A new approach to working

The workplace has evolved in recent years and has had to completely transform in the past few months. A huge percentage of the Irish workforce has shifted from office-based work to remote, much of it done within 24 hours back in March.

The reality is that had the Covid-19 shutdown happened 10 years ago, this level of remote working would not have been possible. The technology available and the mindset of the modern workplace and workforce has shifted, I would argue for good.

A recent study by Amárach Research showed that almost nine in ten people felt it would be better for the environment if they continued to work from home after the shutdown.

However, when it comes to remote working, there is much more to consider than the right technology. Usually, a change of mindset and approach is required for employers and their staff to master the remote working discipline. Technology is simply an enabler, nothing more.

Often, too much emphasis is put on the technology and tools provided to help in remote working, missing the other skills needed by remote workers to become effective in the practice. That includes the development of specific communication skills needed for this type of work.

I discovered this in 2007 when I first encountered remote working, whilst based at a multinational in Galway. I joined a global team who met on audio calls using Microsoft Communicator to keep in contact. I would often work days from home, taking away the need to commute and sating my appetite for work flexibility in my career.

It changed my outlook totally. Any computer connected to the internet can enable communications that can facilitate your work, flexibly. For me, the approach supports self-management, self-responsibility and in the main facilitates my work productivity. 

Back then, I was in the minority, not many were working that way or even believed it could be done. But the trailblazers and early remote adopters were already carving out the way for the followers, driving the changes with their own operations. 

Change happening fast

Many of the technology providers enabling the development of remote working tools are 100% remote themselves in their operations. One such company is Doist, which develops enterprise instant messaging applications. Their design and development of tools for the area has underpinned remote working growth and the documentation of best practice.

Governments were beginning to look at the potential for remote working even before Covid-19. Little did I know that when I contributed as a subject matter expert to the Future Work Now report by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation in December 2019, that in such a short space of time a full public consultation in Ireland would be underway. This has now expanded in its approach, thinking and reach, as a result of the experience of the pandemic. 

It is agreed that more guidance is needed to support the uptake and implementation of remote work; including health and safety, equality, employment rights, the right to disconnect, training, data protection and much more. Make sure you have your say on remote working in the public consultation document here, before August 7.

Emergency remote work is not established remote work 

Don’t be fooled by the recent months of accelerated remote work adoption – it has not established remote work in any way that is in line with best practice. It has been and still is a forced change, with no time to transition and prepare for many employers or workers.

Companies transitioning their operations to remote (or flexible) working, take months of intentional planning, training and implementation efforts. 

They introduce HR policies, initiatives, training and supports to encourage and supplement the adoption of the new way of working, planning in time for the transition to happen. 

According to US entrepreneur, Matt Mullenweg, this year’s change has been the remote work experiment no one asked for. He has a point. For those who have transitioned over the past few months, there is so much to learn from the more established companies that have already been doing it over the years. 

Like many others, the experience I had during the pandemic and full lockdown for three months in Spain turned all my remote work experience, knowledge and practice on its head completely.

Despite my extensive experience of remote working, being confined in lockdown to an apartment with a small child, another remote worker and a whole lot of external environmental pressure and restrictions was not like anything I had experienced before.

I had to put into practice all of my knowledge on a micro-level, stopping every few hours to review my work, my productivity and purpose in my work tasks; re-planning, re-prioritising and re-scheduling.

In particular, I prioritised my self-care with regular breaks, downtime (turning off all notifications on all devices) and gentle exercise. Sitting on my terrace to get some light and air became a pre-work ritual for me during those intense and stressful months between March and June 2020. 

Also, working voluntarily to support the HSE in Ireland with their Covid-19 response was a motivator and helped to keep my focus on meaningful work during the long days of confinement. It turned out to be a very rewarding experience. Working with a team at TU Dublin, we created what is believed to be one of the biggest remote work eLearning projects in the world involving over 2,200 students and supported the HSE workers sent home to work during the pandemic response.

No more commute

There are so many positive personal reasons to work where and when we may choose. Research has shown that remote workers display high potential trait indicators – psychologists have mapped out six traits that illustrate these high achievers.

They include conscientiousness, curiosity and an ability to adjust, so the positives for companies are well documented. I believe many of these traits can be learned, nurtured and fostered. For me, the most important aspect of remote working is its sustainability in relation to your professional and personal lifestyle.

Looking at the broader picture, there is the consideration of sustainability from a wider environmental perspective – for example, the reduced carbon emissions from lack of commuting – and all of the other associated benefits related to decreased consumption. This environmental consideration and the decreased carbon emissions footprint is one of my personal priorities when it comes to remote working.

The reality is that the switch to remote for many in the past few months has come as a shock, to employers and their staff, but remote working is here to stay. In fact, I would argue that is it the future. We may not have expected to have to embrace it under this much pressure, but we have an opportunity now to build this new way of working in a sustainable way.

Think about it – I get to decide where I work, choosing a café, coworking, library, kitchen table or wherever there is a reliable internet connection and depending on what needs to be done and the time available I have to get it done. That’s not a bad way to live.

For further support for the transition for employers and workers, check out Ibec resources and the Grow Remote community. 

Rowena Hennigan is founder of RoRemote. She is a Remote Work Lecturer, Educator and Evangelist.

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17 Comments
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    Mute Mark Twomey
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:30 PM

    Finally! Normality is in sight:)

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    Mute HectorPickaxe
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:49 PM

    @Mark Twomey: Great to see things opening up but I’m surprised at the inter county travel. I would have thought it would make more sense to leave that until last so that clusters could be contained. Then wouldn’t need to lockdown the whole country again because of the dubs….. ;-) only messing

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    Mute Terry Cahill
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:30 PM

    @HectorPickaxe: Think they got cold feet … Too much too soon … nothing gradual about this. Hope it works .

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    Mute Floating Crow Bar
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:43 PM

    @HectorPickaxe: all jokes aside the Dubs ruin it for us all! They never got the hang of social distancing…. keep them in the pale I say…

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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:57 PM

    @HectorPickaxe: if hotels are opening they need inter country travel or else no one would stay in them.

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    Mute HectorPickaxe
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:07 PM

    @Peter Cavey: Fair point. In saying that, the wife just booked a hotel within 20 mins of home. Great restaurant and staff, and good to support the local trade

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    Mute Aidocasey
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:26 PM

    @Floating Crow Bar: you’re right keep one everyone else out….

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    Mute Graham Carrick
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:33 PM

    @Colin: so you want to stay locked down forever ?

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    Mute Mark Twomey
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    Apr 29th 2021, 11:00 PM

    @Colin: actually Healthcare workers and vulnerable people under 60 are vaccinated. Get your facts!

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    Mute JongaFe
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:20 PM

    People are doing most of this already, what planet are these people living on, traffic coming home from work is pre pandemic proportions, loads of people are meeting outdoors for months.

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    Mute HectorPickaxe
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:55 PM

    @JongaFe: They are advising based on what is safe. If you are already doing most of this already then you are going against the public health advice and therefore more likely to pick up covid or infect someone. Not difficult to understand really. Do you want them to start advising that we kiss random people as we pass them?

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    Mute Dylan Cotter
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:57 PM

    @JongaFe: so instead they should…?

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    Mute Shelley Byrne
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:41 PM

    @HectorPickaxe: Calm down, he(she?) is only pointing out the obvious.

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    Mute JongaFe
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    Apr 30th 2021, 6:49 AM

    @HectorPickaxe: I never said I was doing it, I’m not!

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    Mute Proudly Italian
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:39 PM

    “Later in the year”? Yeah… sure…. they’ll have to shoot me, not to board that plane…. never spent a summer in Ireland, won’t be the first one this year….

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    Mute Alan Watts
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:14 PM

    @Proudly Italian: good luck! Just dont bring anything nasty back please.

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    Mute John Egan
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:44 PM

    @Proudly Italian: that’s grand. Us plebs can enjoy summer in Ireland. Jeez it’s not that bad

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    Mute Itsonlyme
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:56 PM

    @John Egan: he’s too proudly Italian to stay here

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    Mute Aidocasey
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:28 PM

    @Proudly Italian: yea but not all planes will be flying…..

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    Mute Cat Reid
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:52 PM

    @Proudly Italian: why wouldn’t you want to spend a summer in such a beautiful country? It’s gold enough for you the rest of the year!

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    Mute Cat Reid
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    Apr 29th 2021, 11:23 PM

    @Proudly Italian: But it’s good enough for you to stay here the rest of the year?! Ireland is beautiful.. I’ve met a few Italian people who like to criticise Ireland, most of which haven’t stepped foot outside Dublin. Completely ignorant comment to make.

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    Mute Proudly Italian
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    Apr 30th 2021, 6:26 AM

    @Cat Reid: don’t get me wrong… Indeed, I’m here mainly because my job is paid very well, and it’s still worth living here.
    But I wouldn’t have stayed for 15 yrs, if I didn’t like this country.
    However, I have also chosen Ireland because was cheap and easy to jump on a plane and spend a weekend to my folks every now and then. And I made a life around it, and so my kids.
    I visited Ireland, of course, but summer is summer… can’t be below 30 degrees…and the kids are too used to spend it at the beach house where their grandparents lives for two months…. that’s why we’re all fed up!

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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Apr 30th 2021, 9:08 AM

    @Proudly Italian: Good Luck hope you get back to see your family. Enjoy

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    Mute Nollaig Ó Ceallaigh
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    Apr 30th 2021, 12:02 PM

    @Proudly Italian: Italy. Beach house. 2 months of 30deg+ weather. If that doesn’t explain why you don’t want to spend summer here in Ireland, I don’t know what will! Best of luck to you!

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    Mute Clau Emmett
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    Apr 30th 2021, 4:51 PM

    @Proudly Italian: any space for 1 more at the Italian beach house? Asking for a friend :D

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    Mute Tadhg Lehane
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:26 PM

    Am I the only one that thinks this is a PR exercise. Essentially they get to say they started lifting restrictions. But have they really.
    It’s like : hey Look everyone you can travel, but we’ve made sure there’s nowhere to stay and nothing open to do so there’s no point travelling really. Pretty much still a travel restriction in essence with no services to avail of. Hell, even a toilets a hard to find item.

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    Mute Ger
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:46 PM

    @Tadhg Lehane: yeah it’s just you

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    Mute Tadhg Lehane
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:09 PM

    @Ger: so what’s so different? You can go to a different Dunnes/Tesco. Lifting restrictions would be if we could avail of local services. Not access identical ones we already have access to but further away.

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    Mute Eileen Murph
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:28 PM

    @Tadhg Lehane: Not everybody lives near family, which means they haven’t seen family from other counties in months or met new babies, as is the case here. Most of our families haven’t met our 4.5 month old son and today’s announcement is great news for us.

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    Mute Captain Unsensible
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    Apr 29th 2021, 11:32 PM

    @Tadhg Lehane: Yes

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    Mute Ger
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    Apr 30th 2021, 4:45 AM

    @Tadhg Lehane: plenty of people have family in other counties, most of us probably. We’ll be able to see them for the first time since Christmas

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    Mute Nothing_player
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:43 PM

    Does inter county include the 6 counties so can head up for a sesh?

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    Mute Tarraing Mo Liathróidí
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:15 PM

    @Nothing_player: think plenty will be heading up there well before the June reopening hits here especially when they will have indoor dining and pints….

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    Mute Vlad Eire
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:18 PM

    @Nothing_player: that’s a bloody good question!

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    Mute Chlo Bo
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:05 PM

    It’s great to see kids back doing outdoor sports such as GAA but it’s so sad for kids whose passion and talent lie in areas such as gymnastics, dance, yoga, etc. No mentioned of indoor sports and classes for kids?

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    Mute Mark Reilly
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:46 PM

    @Chlo Bo: dance classes are back already?

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    Mute Chlo Bo
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    Apr 30th 2021, 12:32 AM

    @Mark Reilly: I think it’s only outdoor dance classes though? I could be wrong! Lots of teachers may not have a location or the means to run outdoor classes and are still running via zoom I believe.

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    Mute Nikki O'Connor
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:34 PM

    What about maternity services?

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    Mute Ger
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:45 PM

    @Nikki O’Connor: if your baby is due in May you will have to try to hold on until June

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    Mute David Walters
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:59 PM

    @Nikki O’Connor: What about them?

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    Mute Jas
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:29 PM

    And Irish abroad that are fully vaccinated? When can they return without having to quarantine for two weeks and take loads of tests.

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    Mute leartius
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:10 PM

    “Level 3 plus” what? 1 or 2 maybe -2. This governments ‘level system’ was supposed to bring clarity for businesses?
    To say ‘the response has evolved since creating the levels system’ is double talk. What did it evolve into? Can our Taoiseach even remember what each level entailed.
    “Level 3 plus” or maybe another level 5.

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    Mute Daniel Roche
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:18 PM

    @leartius: thought we were done with levels or maybe I’m wrong.

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    Mute Nollaig Ó Ceallaigh
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    Apr 30th 2021, 11:58 AM

    @leartius: My thoughts exactly. Clarity isn’t something this government tends to do well. That said, I’m perfectly happy with them abandoning this idiotic levels system in favour of just giving clear guidance based on sector. (Still some confusion in certain areas after this announcement, but much clearer than whatever level 4.2398628725349 was supposed to be at least.)

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    Mute Damo
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:58 PM

    @Christybhoy67: a pub with a leak??

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    Mute Colm Malone
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:07 PM

    Yes…. because certainly no one is already doing those things.

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    Mute Thomas Linehan
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:41 PM

    Are wet pubs allowed to have open air seating outside their premises

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    Mute Christybhoy67
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:46 PM

    @Thomas Linehan: what is a wet pub ?

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    Mute JongaFe
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:17 PM

    @Christybhoy67: no food, just drink, wet drink.

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    Mute Bluechip78
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:25 PM

    @JongaFe: and wet food, wait for the rain in June

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    Mute Thomas Linehan
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    Apr 30th 2021, 12:37 AM

    @Christybhoy67: flooded

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    Mute Mark Reville
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    Apr 29th 2021, 11:00 PM

    I expected to hear advice with regard to the continued wearing of masks. For how long more and under what circumstances? The same as currently apply?

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    Mute Roman Walczak-Sadlowski
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:39 PM

    What’s the story with IBT motorbikes training? Not like we are in close contact with anyone else apart from our Helmets… Nothing mentioned..

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    Mute nineteen
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    Apr 29th 2021, 11:08 PM

    Am I reading this correctly: can hotels guests use swimming pool and eat in their restaurants from 2nd of June?

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    Mute AC
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    Apr 29th 2021, 11:45 PM

    @nineteen: yes that’s what it indicates and fairly sure I heard that earlier too.

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    Mute Simon Spellman
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    Apr 29th 2021, 11:52 PM

    @nineteen: have a look at a hotels bar/restaurant seating capacity and then see how many rooms they have, it’ll be some fun trying to get food there and then nothing open down the road apart from a supermacs /McDonald’s drive thru

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    Mute Charlene Foley
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:54 PM

    Cam anybody confirm if tattoo services are included in the cluster or personal services mentioned with hairdressers. Tryimg to find out the opening date for tattoo services please.

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    Mute Bill William
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:43 PM

    Good job

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    Mute David Byrne
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    Apr 30th 2021, 9:21 AM

    Any word on the reopening of mobile homes

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