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TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has said the government “did not discuss Christmas” when agreeing the new Covid-19 plan, but acknowledged that it will be “challenging” time for people.
Martin today announced the government’s five-level plan for ‘Living with Covid-19′ over the next six months, effectively until March 2021.
The plan sets out five different levels of restrictions that can be in place in different counties depending on the levels of Covid-19 in each area.
Level 1 will mean the least severe of the restrictions with Level 5 the most serious.
Each of the levels contain restrictions on social and family gatherings that will mean Christmas socialising will be different than in pre-Covid years.
Under the least severe level (Level One), visitors to private home are limited to up to 10 people from three households.
These restrictions get progressively more strict and under Level Two this is limited to just six visitors to a home. These visitors can be from either two or three other households depending on on the prevailing public health advice.
All counties in Ireland are currently at Level Two restrictions but additional measures are in place in Dublin that restrict household visits further.
Under Level 3, home visits are limited to just one household visiting another household.
Under Levels 4 and 5 there are to be no social visits to private homes, with the government’s framework stating: ‘No visitors’.
While most Christmas Day gatherings take place in homes, social gatherings are also common in other locations such as in restaurants.
Under the government’s plan there are restrictions on how these could take place.
Under Level One, members of different households can meet in these settings up to 50 people as long as the industry guidance is being followed.
Under Level Two this reduces dramatically to 6 people indoors or 15 outdoors from 1, 2 or 3 other households.
Under Levels 3, 4 and 5 there should be no social/family gatherings in settings outside homes
There are specific provisions within the plan for the attendance at religious services, such as Christmas Mass.
Under Levels 1 and 2 services can proceed with up to 50 worshippers in attendance.
Under Levels 3, 4 and 5 there are to be no worshippers present. The framework says that services can be broadcast or streamed under these three levels but that churches and other places of worship can remain open for private prayer.
There are separate exemptions for weddings and funerals.
The Christmas period is also noteworthy for people across Ireland travelling to different areas to visit loved ones.
Under the new roadmap, there are no restrictions on domestic travel under Levels 1 and 2.
Under Levels 3 and 4 people are asked to stay in their county except for essential reasons, while under Level 5 people are asked to stay at home.
Foreign travel into and out of Ireland is to be dealt with separately as part of an EU-led plan.
The Taoiseach was specifically asked this morning whether there would be an exemption from the restrictions for the Christmas period, but he said “individual events” within the forthcoming six months were not considered.
“In relation to Christmas, this is a six month plan. This is the plan that applies, we will see obviously how we progress over the next three months,” Martin said.
And I think if we all work collectively and together as a people we can get the numbers down and control the virus. And then we’ll see what will happen in that scenario. But it’s a six month plan. And we want to bring clarity over that six month period more broadly speaking. So we didn’t discuss Christmas today, we discussed the preparation of this plan in terms over the six month framework.
“This framework for many people will be challenging in terms of their personal relationships and engagement with people and other households,” Martin added.
Asked again whether an exemption would be in place for Christmas, the Taoiseach said this wasn’t discussed by Cabinet.
“There are limits here, and I would acknowledge that in terms of the numbers of visitors to your house and so on. And that has implications for that period as well.
“As of now this is the plan for the six months. We haven’t discussed individual events in each of those months specifically in the way that the question might suggest.”
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Wear a mask no problem, avoid pubs no problem, no crowds ok. Visiting my family will continue no matter what. I’ve hit my breaking point. Anyone else?
@Richard Griffin: the true meaning of Christmas about to become clearer right? Family Time.
@Richard Griffin: the same. Reasonable measures yes, the remaining excesses , no.
@Isabel Oliveira:
Could not agree more.
Proper hand hygiene, social distancing, wearing a mask etc all good, all needed.
Everything else = Nonsense of the highest order. Stopped going into shops that just accept cards now, and will continue to do so when the pandemic ends. I have a bank card, it’s just the principle, my elderly family members don’t. That’s just one example of excess.
@Darren Anthony Corr: yes i am the exact same! Lots of small shops here where i am refusing to except cash! Lots of people i know too are staying away from these shops! Madness!
@Richard Griffin: Spot on Richard. Common sense at all times and everyone should be ok
@Madethyme:
Here where I am, Argos has a person at the door asking you what your looking for and won’t let you in until you tell them. The person at the door doesn’t even get the item you want for you, so I don’t get what that’s about?
Then Power City here has a massive outlet store, very easily to social distance. But you walk in and can’t look at anything in store, you have to go to a hatch and shout about 12 feet across the floor to some disinterested staff member about what your looking for and then they get it. And not accepting cash.
Two examples of stores I will not visit when all this is over. WHO has even said cash is a very small risk, so I don’t get the whole cashless thing really.
@Darren Anthony Corr: it costs a business money to deposit cash into the bank. ‘Security’ fees….cheaper to accept card only. I’m in sweden and no shops take cash anymore. Been that way for years. Get used to it.
“Sorry there annoying uncles, aunts and cousins, the aul COVID 19 restrictions your know yourselves. Just put the presents on the door step and back off”
How can they do a six month plan when emergency powers finish on November 9th. They’re already sure they’ll have these renewed. That’s how. Nobody will be able to sustain this limbo until March 2021.
Happy Christmas everyone!
@Twitruser2020: and a happy new year!. 2021 had better got its acts together and be better than the “year that shall not be named”.
This year it will be just me and a Turkey, hopefully one of us will be alive and well.
Yep. I’ve had enough of their bleating on. The bubble is about to burst
Take necessary precautions to keep each other safe, practice social distancing and hand hygiene, wear a mask on public transports, shops and enclosed places.
Everything else is just nonsense. The whole household thing doesn’t even make sense and is unlikely to be enforced anyway. The whole contactless payments only thing that some stores are doing is a joke and the excessive measures taken by certain businesses using Covid as an excuse just to cut corners and save money, I’ll remember you when the pandemic is over.
Great out for avoiding the annual pilgrimage to the in laws gaff
What about Halloween first,will there be no trick or treating!!!
@James Hayes: it’s outdoors and most will be wearing masks anyway
@James Hayes: visions of people dosing kids with hand sanitiser at every gate and placing double wrapped treat size lidl bars into a bag from 6 feet away with one of those mobility aid grabbers. Then leaving the bag of sweets outdoors to quarantine for 3 days
@James Hayes: Bangers going off in my area since August so looks like it’s going ahead.
@James Hayes: will be catapulting mini mars bars from the upstairs window
@James Hayes: that I will not miss! A bonus.
@Maria Hickey-Fagan: excellent comments Maria et all, they all made me giggle. Ya it seem like we’ll be leaving buckets of goodies out by the garden gate.;-)
@InvaderSkoodge: Sound plan. I got out the Halloween window decorations today. Have to have something to look forward to!
Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Covid Tuesday, Stay at home Thursday, Social Distance Sunday – Amazon marketing train on the move.
Christmas!!!
Jasus.
Gotta run !
Levels 4 and 5, no Santa I presume…..
@Peter B: You would think he is vulnerable considering his weight and age
Can’t wait to get home to see ye all, oh wait
Oh rite I’ll put a 6 month plan in place and not discuss Christmas….!
Jesus Christ!!!
An excuse to avoid “the most wonderful time of the year”. Instead of a drink and biscuit for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph it will be a facemask and hand sanitiser.
They’ll give us 3 days off then bring out the jackboots for NYE…
Will santa be able to visit houses
I got a frozen turkey in Lidl last new year so I’ll be ok.
Halloween- cancelled
Xmas- cancelled
virus = under control
New Years eve – people ignore rules, Virus takes off again
Mícheál Martin Christmas is a time for families and hell will freeze over before you or your government will say who can & can’t visit my home Christmas or any other time for that matter Gardaí already under Resource and need to be dealing with crime not following up on people who have family or friends in their homes
Why write this in September? Nonsense
Will be the same as every year no change and that’s that.
There’s gonna be panic buying of the turkeys isn’t there !?! Sigh…
Me too, absolutely
have your say