Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
TESTING FOR THE coronavirus has been a key part of measures to track transmission and prevent the spread of the virus.
With the government bringing the entire country under Level 3 restrictions from tonight, and health officials warning a move to Level 4 or even Level 5 is still on the horizon, the testing regime will have to be robust to drive down transmission.
There has been an increase in testing and the HSE has said it plans to increase capacity in Ireland to 100,000 per week. Additional lab capacity to expand on this 100,000 tests per week will continue to be available in Germany if required.
Some posts being shared on social media in recent weeks have claimed there has been a recent increase in Covid-19 cases in Ireland because there has been an increase in testing.
It is a familiar claim, frequently used by US President Donald Trump, who has regularly blamed the rate of testing in the US for surges in coronavirus cases. This was despite evidence that the virus was spreading widely through many communities.
We’ve looked at whether an increase in testing in Ireland results in an increase in the number of positive cases – it doesn’t – and whether increased testing skews data on transmission levels.
Dr Cillian de Gascun, director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, has said Ireland’s positivity rate – the percentage of people tested that week who receiveed a positive result – has increased from 2.9% last week to 3.9% this week. This is despite an increase in the level of testing.
“The positivity rate has increased dramatically in the last few weeks,” he told TheJournal.ie.
“The positivity rate gives you an indication of transmission levels. Ideally we’d like to be testing more and for the positivity rate to either stay the same or decline because that means you’re chasing down the virus.”
Back at the end of March this year, some 30,213 tests had been carried out in laboratories across the country.
The positivity rate the week ending 31 March was 15%, having risen in one week from 6%.
This followed a change in the case definition, which restricted availability to patients with at least two symptoms and prioritised groups such as frontline healthcare workers, older people and those with an underlying condition.
The test and trace system was under pressure and was unable to scale to the larger capacity we have now.
In the first week of April, 12,271 tests were carried out in laboratories, with 2,347 positives and a positivity rate of 19%.
Two weeks later, testing had scaled up to almost 21,000 tests a week with the positivity rate remaining at 19%. And between 20 April and 27 April more than 41,000 tests were carried out, resulting in a positivity rate of 12.9%.
In this case, doubling the amount of testing did not result in a doubling of positive case numbers week-on-week.
In the week 14-20 April, 3,907 positive cases were identified, compared to 3,996 the following week, when the level of testing doubled from 21,000 to 41,000 tests per week.
There has been growing concern in recent weeks about increasing case numbers across the country and in particular in certain counties such as Dublin, Donegal, Cork, Limerick and Galway.
In the last couple of weeks 80,000 to 90,000 tests were completed per week.
Dr de Gascun said it is true to say the testing system is picking up more asymptomatic cases now than it was in March and April, because the testing system back then was targeted towards those showing symptoms.
“At the very beginning of the pandemic, it was based on a history of travel and symptoms, then we moved the travel requirement and it was based on symptoms. At that stage we weren’t testing contacts of cases, which we are now.
“We also hadn’t started the serial testing programme throughout the nursing home sector, direct provision or meat processing plants.”
“Obviously the more testing you do the more cases you’ll find, the reason for testing more is to identify those people who either don’t present for care for whatever reason – no access to healthcare or in a vulnerable group – or to identify people who don’t have symptoms and for that reason they wouldn’t present for care,” he said.
Since the middle of May, Ireland has been testing close contacts of confirmed cases on Day zero and again seven days later.
“That’s where we’re finding quite a lot of cases, in that close contacts of a confirmed case setting,” Dr de Gascun said. “And true to say we wouldn’t have picked all of those individuals up back in March and April.”
He said health officials want to “throw the net broadly” and if they are not finding a significant number of cases it can provide reassurance.
“Our concern now is that we are testing more and because the virus is widespread in the community our testing rate is increasing. As the positivity rate increases, the concern then arises that you may be missing cases.”
He said countries take different approaches in terms of their acceptable threshold for the positivity rate.
“I don’t have an exact figure for the threshold, some take it at 2 or 3% but some would allow it as high as 10%.”
Last week the HSE said the positivity rate in Ireland was 2.9% – this week it has risen to 3.9%. Serial testing in nursing homes, direct provision centres and meat processing plants also dilutes the overall national positivity rate.
The positivity rate in nursing homes last week was 0.17%, in direct provision centres it was 0.53% and in meat plants it was 0.32%. This indicates the positivity rate in the community is higher than the overall 3.9%.
More testing
This evening health officials confirmed 432 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland, with new positive cases identified in almost every county. 48% of those were associated with outbreaks or were close contacts of a confirmed case. 60 of the 432 have been identified as community transmission.
Dr de Gascun said the current positivity rate suggests “we probably need to be testing more”.
“If we were in the position where everyone was 100% compliant with the public health measures we would probably be able to control this without testing more.
“But in the context of trying to monitor the epidemiology and spread, we would probably need to be testing more to drive that positivity rate back down and give us some confidence.”
Last week HSE CEO Pail Reid said the health service has “re-calibrated the mix” of testing capacity with 100,000 in Ireland per week and a capacity of 2,000 per day in German laboratories.
“It is a good buffer for us should we need to draw on it,” he said.
Dr de Gascun said it would be worrying moving forward if the health service continued to increase testing and the positivity rate remained the same or increased.
“If we increased to 120,000 test per week and the positivity rate didn’t change, you’d be very concerned because then you know a lot of infection out there isn’t being picked up with the 100,000 capacity.
“It’s something the HSE continues to look at, there seems to have been some perception that once we got to 100,000 a week then everything stops, but that’s not case. The idea is to ensure we have sufficient capacity there for whatever testing is required.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Water protesters and gay marriage are to blame for all of the country’s ills.
^
|
Sarcasm obviously.
And skinny jeans!
& them god awful hipsters…
wow.. & 30% of readers agreed with this nonsense? that’s the shocking part… on the word of a FG party crony too…
I agree with the retailer group – I avoid O’Connell street now because of all the protests at the weekend – I just don’t want the hassle. People have a right to protest, but there’s a limit.
Definitely not! I have worked in Clery’s for eight years. Clery’s had experienced problems well before the water charge protests began.
Aaron, is it true that they literally walked in and ordered everybody out?
Jamie , that’s what usually happens , they did the same thing in my husband’s job . not nice .
Capitalism is pure ugly.
I can’t say for sure Jamie, as I wasn’t in that day. But that’s how the story goes.
Alan that’s the same excuse I gave for flunking Latin in the junior cert.
*Aaron sorry man
What utter rubbish. I own a business near Clerys, all the water protests passed my doors in their thousands, numerous times; I walked with them. It was most certainly not a contributing factor.
fair play for speaking out against such childish business owners
I like your shop already Edward ….
Journalism sarcasm spinning a Web of moths. Utterly obnoxious article
Is Cliodhna to become the Hugh of Irish Torture.
A third of people replying to this poll have answered “Yes” WTF! That’s actually very depressing. The dumbing down of society continues at a rapid pace.
building false support – like “likes” on facebook perhaps ??????
or a certain Kerry politician getting a lot of votes from a dail phone number in a phone poll television thingymabob …
Them polls are manipulated. Either by bots or definitely by vested interests. We all know the water protestors are similar to Isis terrorists. Sure the whole Greek situation is because of water protestors………….
I suppose a bus strike doesn’t count….or rugby matches….or GAA matches…or pop concerts….or taxi protests…or student protests…or TTIP protest…..or IFA protests….or Palestinian Prisoners’ Day protest…or NAGP protest…or Gaza air strikes protest………………………no, it must have been the water protest.
Spin more sh*t you FG austerity loving d*cks.
Super ted journal is a right wing propaganda machine.
Let’s wait for the Independent and RTE to run with this
It’s the ” I don’t knows” I feel sorry for
Gay moths .
@ Al Ca
Or the complete lack of policing and effort to improve the area. Mr. Murphy is well respected by those in government. …
Gotta stop blaming Cliodhna or others who write for the journal. ‘Tis like punching smoke to try expect any accountability or journalistic integrity round these parts. Recent events have shown that. Is what it is.
Fair play Edward Smith.
Yep Charlie…add that to the list m8. +1
Fair play Edward! :-)
I was recently sent a survey about decline in my city centre business due to water protests by dublin town. I gave them the same answer I will post here. it has been austerity which affects the retail business on a day to day basis and any measures to remove cash from consumers pockets will only deepen the trouble that we find ourselves in. Austerity is 365, water protests could be counted in days on your hands.
Thank you Brian,
I live in a small town with a population of about 2000 including the hinterland, mostly families.
Most shops have closed in the town due to the crisis. Now with IW looking for €160 a year from families…that’s €320,000 a year less spent in our small town…our town is dying a slow death. Now multiply that for cities.
That doesn’t add up right?
Pure desperation by the spin doctors. Embarrassing really.
What is the guy doing on Radio Kerry talking about Clerys and O’Connell street and Water protestors ?
Ya cant get Radio Kerry in Dublin so they wont hear em talkin sh!t.
Download the app.
Yeah…. had nothing to do with the store being old, outdated, and in the middle of a junkie infested neighborhood….
I have never heard of anybody saying they were about to spend a thousand euros on furniture to in Clerys until they realised there was a junkie just up the road from it and it put them off.
no the junkies on phone on O’Connell street put anyone of going there
Ah sure the Paddys Day parade and 1916 centenary celebrations on O’Connell would have finished it off anyway. Let’s cancel them too. Clerys has been in decline for years and offers nothing that Arnotts doesn’t have, to blame it on two or three days of reduced business is pathetic.
I’ve loads more straws to clutch at, if anyone is interested. What a ridiculous suggestion.
Journal do you think the bank bailout has anything to do with clerys decline?/???/???/????/???/???/?/???/????/???/????/???/????/????/???/???/???/????/???/???/???/???/???/???/????/????/???/???/???/???/???/?/?Worst poll you have ever done embarrassing for you.Quite sad really i think most of us know now you are establishment propaganda machine well done ye are neck and neck with rte propaganda.
Irish Water Propaganda.
So blame Kenny, Hogan, Kelly, Tierney, et al for the demise of O’ Connell St. Nothing to do with social conditions prevailing on Ireland’s Knightsbridge?
There’s John Tierney on a massive salary and he getting loads of public monies to distribute and yet we are told it is a “Private” company and the politicians go out to bat for him time and again …
Remember Eyre square – he was involved in that – what did that do to tourism I nGaillimh ?
He is like a pox as they used to say in the Middle Ages – I wonder if there were share issues in Siteserv or what ever the name of the company is …
Doesn’t matter really as it is an undemocratic decision by government and contrary to e.u. agreement when established …..among a whole load of Irish constitutional law and history ….
Anyone could suspect Masons are involved !
Hermes…..John Tierney was so inept he turned a €1.6 million Eyre Sq project into €16 million over run by using consultants because he didn’t have a clue of what he needed to do.
Then he had the EU Commission rule his arrangement between Dublin Co Council and the consultants at RPS an illegal arrangement and were forced to pull the plug on it at a cost of €90 million and not a brick laid.
Then John Tierney gets the IW gig and engages RPS Consultants to advise on the set up of Irish Water and they charge €84 million…….and then those members of RPS jump ship and end up on the board of the IW Quango they created….for f*ck sake…if you wrote it as a fiction novel people would say it was too far fetched.
Too many people in Ireland are asleep…wake up you docile cows…you’re bring milked and you don’t know it.
Al Ca, there is another element to John Tierney, Phil Hogan, and Smart Meters, which requries serious investigation. Not allowed mention any details here!!
Bull..
Ha ha yeah blame the water protesters . Surprised at you Cliodhna Russell putting this up on the eve of a protest.
Protests in city centre do contribute to a significant drop in footfall in many stores, many stores could prove this with numbers. In fairness though how water strikes have there been 4-6 , what the rest of the year
What an insult to the workers of Clerys, any chance the journal will be chasing down this fella and asking him to elaborate and explain himself.
if there were no charges there would be no need for proved.
I stopped going to O’Connell street because of all the protests – if I need to go to Henry Street I’ll cross the Ha’penny bridge. It’s just not worth the hassle. So the retailer group is right
My route home involves walking up O’Connell Street and on more than one occasion I’ve waited until protests have passed or turned around and went a different way on more than one occassion… so this makes complete sense to me. If you think the idiots sitting in the middle of the road on O’Connell Street yesterday blocking traffic didn’t do damage to anyone’s business… think about the tour buses that had to turn around rather than make it to their regular pick up spot, or the many people heading to work who they made late, the movie goers who avoided the Savoy because there looked like trouble outside. I’d imagine their troubles involving Water had more to fo with the length they were closed after the flooding, but it’s naive to think the near constant protests had no impact on business.
damn typos!
Nothing to do with vulture capitalists systematically stripping the country of whatever assets they desire. To hell with us serfs. Back to sleep zzzz
Be hard to trump that comment.
Pity the journal didnt run any polls on Dennis O Brien instead of this inane rubbish. The businesses in O Connell Street have witnessed worse demonstrations over the years and I dont recollect any setious complaints from business owners then.
Reminds me of the Love Ulster riot. Those patriotic hoodies liberated dozens of shiny runners from footlocker that glorious day.
To be honest, I think the amount of drug dealing junkies and lack of high profile outlets in the street was more of a contributing factor
Its a bloody good job the St Patrick’s Day parade doesn’t go anywhere near Clerys so. There’s been over 80 of those.
Stupidest thing ive ever heard! and they only ones that said yes in the poll are the ones who signed up and are paying for Irish water and realize when it’s abolished they won’t get there money back :) yous were warned
It’s in now mate, it’ll never be abolished. Even the Shinners accept that. Best we can hope for is that we don’t get screwed too much.
It will be abolished one way or another Jamie and that is a fact !
How will it? It’s in now and that’s that. We voted FG and we got what we got. Anything from now on is merely damage limitation in my opinion.
Not at all Jamie – one very simple lesson from history – you can’t charge for a service you can’t police !
It’s gone and it’s just a matter of time and if Sinn Fein and Mrs Eriva Lou McDonald doesn’t wise up to that fact fairly soon they are going to be subjected to revelations that will destroy them too !
Adams and Mary Lou haven’t a clue what to say on the matter. “I won’t pay, actually i will pay”… “If we get into power we’ll do what we can to deal with this”… etc
As far as I’m concerned, Obama has about as much power in America as Kenny does in Ireland, ie buck all. The banks tell them what to do.
Hermes, one simple lesson from the very recent past, they have charged.
so did the Light brigade Jamie – and we saw how that worked out ….
The revelation of the Anglo Tapes and a Merrill lynch banker saying that Brian Cowen and Gordon Brown would loose their jobs was very interesting -
Martin Pass was his name – Ireland’s public enemy number one ??????
So what Hermes, you reckon the whole pile is about to come crashing down? Wishful thinking man. We’re stuck with the NWO, so what next? 11 million people and masters of the universe.
bollocks, Jamie, bollocks.
So Rashers, how do we address the inequality on this dear planet of ours, or are you just out for an evening troll.
The Esb and bord gais have stated that revenues for this year are down, due to over one hundred thousand people not boiling eggs, and kettles, on a number of Saturday mornings in 2014 and 2015. They hope this to be resolved by new laws implemented by minister Kelly!!!
Some of these seriously biased opinion pieces really do come across as Waterford Whisperers articles… ffs, atrocious shite altogether!
Hmm – wonder how much they lose in a year to shoplifters. Feckin more spin from this administrations cronies.
It could have been written by DOB himself!
Id also like to add that high profile sporting events can reduce our footfall to a trickle. Does this mean we should ban these events? Absolute crap that only serves the interests of those with vested interests in the ruling parties and their pro business, anti public policies such as the water quango.
That board is made up of Carrolls gifts who were worried the protests would lower the number of tourists been fooled into buying tacky irish gifts. also has topaz marketing director on its board and we all know how their owner is benefitting from water metering contracts. fact is clerys got bailed in by nama, their owners have no consideration for the staff and water protestors have little to no effect on trading.
Did you see that a big Tesco man was put on the Bord Bia board…. what a joke after the horsemeat scandal and the all the withdrawl of their burgers during the Horsemeat scandal …
That’s just plain stupid, a food safety board should be hiring top food safety officers not top businessmen who are well versed in saving costs right down to the minimum standard of food safety.
love the poll, a very handy way of getting an accurate % of FG/LAB trolls on the Journal at the moment, 31% way to go.
How does this sh*t make it print?
Thankfully it has not yet. If the journal was print media it would loosely loose all buyers and should change the name to Waterford whisper
I withdraw, shine a light on these numpties.
take a run and jump
This is about as desperate as it can possibly get for the pro water charge / austerity far right loonies. Funny how Easons / Penneys / Tower Records etc are all still operating successfully on O’Connell street. If anything when we protest we spend money in Dublin City shops & I usually avoid the City at the weekend. This article is a bad joke. Looking forward to attending tomorrow’s protest march even more now.
Affected footfall from Saturday water protestors? Surely it increased footfall on O’Connell Street. Clearys was a dinosaur of modern retailing and even after the revamp following the flooding it still looked old and tired.
I went in there for the first time a few months ago when I was last in Dublin. I work in a department store, but there was something very uncomfortable about Clery’s. I can’t put my finger on it, I just know the building/space itself (NOT the staff) just didn’t feel welcoming.
I would put it down to fact that the city council have failed to get a handle on the drug and anti socail behavior problem in and around O Connell street. The area needs a big shake up.
Is that not a Garda issue Jason?
Better shop online from now on so …. if they don’t like water protestors then they don’t want our business one presumes .
Take a jump journal
That’s the most ridiculous statement I’ve read in years! Almost comical.
DCC high rates and over regulation has done more harm than any protests. Load of rubbish blaming anti water protest. Bad planning decisions and lack of law enforcement have ruined this once lovely Street.
Ireland has been sold out to the highest bidder…oops sorry …the lowest…
this has to be a wind up
“Retail Excellence Ireland” spokesperson just demonstrates that they have no clue. Do they get paid for their inane utterances?
To be honest….I was embarrassed reading it….imagine being a tool of the FG/Lab Government and having to utter such bullcrap on a radio station….F*ck….it’s cringeworthy.
Ask Dublin Bus, Luas, McDonald’s, ANY coffee shop or Coach travel how they faired out on the days of protests?? The only 4 times I’ve been in Dublin City centre has been to protest and I live 5 miles outside O’Connell Street!!!!
Why don’t The Journal call this terrible excuse for what it is,or is it still too cowardly?
Gone are the days when Jammin would be all over this thread talking crap. Chin up Jammin. Hopefully you’ll know in future about defamation of character ya clown
as popular as ever i see you are
There’s some gobdaws around, and he’s the spokesman!
Align yourselves with Irish Water there lads, sure that’ll help.
Stating the obvious. The water protests were due to unreasonable taxes by the gov, so its the govs fault.
That’s an awful thing to say it was bad management you bloody creep . Stop blaming water protesters
The FF / Green party government aided by FG /Labour are therefore responsible as they organised the disaster known as Uisce Eireann.
And the Troika -
Baloney, total and utter baloney.
I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous in a long time !
Divide and conquer Suzie, an age old tactic.
very true Jamie
I would love to unite the clans.
Go on to their twitter account where you will see they spend their time retweeting their board members businesses, they are an embarrassment.
They way they just came in with the heavies and ordered everyone out, some staff with 30 or 40 years service weren’t even allowed get their stuff from lockers. The Great Lockout of 2015.
Thought I was reading a WaterfordWhispers article when I read that crap….sad but true Cleary’s failed Cleary’s simple as that.
Waterford Whispers wouldn’t print that as it is too far fetched even for them.
It would be funny if it wasn’t so sickening.
Possibly the most iconic shop in Ireland, and this is how it ends up. Well done Kenny. Sign of things to come folks. Bought and sold for foreign gold.
I popped into Clerys during the last protest, up to the carpet department, where there was a great view of the thousands of people outside, I had a chat with a staff member who told me while people like me weren’t there to buy carpets that day, hundreds of people now knew that they sold carpets… it was great marketing for them… I have since bought items from Clerys, the last purchase was last Thursday. Sorry to see it go.
“We want to here from you”. [sic] Things are getting worse.
What a pile of steaming faeces.
Absolute rubbish
I hadn’t been in Dublin for over 10 yrs until these protests I’ve been 6 times over the course of the protest I went to clearys on the Nov march for a present I would have got it else where if I had not been in Dublin for the protest
I think it’s hilarious retailers organization claims that 3 water protests could close clerys. Nothing to do with the fact clerys business was split into a real estate investment and a retail concern. Run the retail into the ground and the fund managers turn a big profit on the real estate in the new Dublin housing bubble. Those fund managers get a major commission on the sale. Spare me – even the irish times ran that story on their financial pages. Moore St going the same way. Gonna be sold to perhaps develop a budget hotel and prime housing. Not a council flat in sight. Anybody who does not make an effort to understand finance will forever be a bleating sheep believing this type of nonsense. Nothing to do with most people having no disposable income.http://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/something-very-wrong-about-transactions-at-clerys-1.2251703
what a neck. no wonder businesses are so bad when you have clowns like this representing them.
List of Retail Excellence Ireland’s board member’s companies (Use this list as you please)
McCabes Pharmacy
Topaz
Carrolls gifts
Meagher’s Pharmacy Group
Tile Style
Butlers Pantry
Tony Kealys Nursery stores
Carphone Warehouse
Ecco Footwear
Heatons
Sam McCauley Chemists
Ardkeen Quality Food Store
no problem – am already boycotting four on that list for obvious reasons. adding a few more will not inconvenience me ;-)
wait for spoofer brutal he’ll be announcing 1000 jobs over the next 20 years on clearys site!
more Denis O’ Brien’s and Gouverment propaganda
“We want to here from you, Do you think the water protests contributed to Clerys decline?”
“HERE”
Quality “journalism” as usual. No wonder the likes of Donal O’Keeffe gets “published” and laughingly calls himself a “journalist” …
I think today is the 19th of June and NOT the 1st of April
Tripe.
greed and corruption
Are yiz Havin a larff….!!!!! Nuttin to do with it!! It’s the junkies and feral kids around O’Connell street!!!!!!
You look well hard in your avatar. Scared of town? Anytime I’m on O’Connell St the place is bustling.
I wonder will the famous clock be up for auction
And here was I thinking that the Mary Lou emoji article was the greatest one ever ..It has been surpassed by this beauty.
if that’s true paddy’s day should be cancelled HaHa
Next poll do you think Thierry Henry,s hand ball had anything to do with Ireland not qualifying for the world cup?
I noticed a downturn in business due to Clerys workers protesting outside of the new owners offices, its really inconsiderate of them to interfere with Dublin shoppers going about their business.
Retail Bull Shit Ireland,
Would be more like it
What about Dublin City Councils attempts to make the city centre decreasing accessible to motorists? I won’t go near the place because it is a massive pain in the hole.
Had to look to see if this was a Waterford Whispers wind up. Bet they’re raging they didn’t think of it themselves!
What a stupid poll. The only people who know are the lads with the daily sales figures.
You know what killed Clearys? Decades of lack of investment by various governments in O’Connell street. O’Connell street has the potential to be Dublin’s best attraction – All that’s needed is a bit of investment and PRIDE.
The north end of the street is a derelict kip. The south end is full of chav shops and fast food restaurants. Stand still there for 2 minutes and you’re hassled for change or a smoke or for nothing. Why would you want to go shopping there?
Plus on Clearys itself- Nice shop, but what could you get there that you couldn’t get in Arnotts or in other shops nearby on Henry Street? They failed to make the shop unique.
Pedestrianise O O’Connell street, build some nice hotels/cafes/ bars in the north end, build a well-manned large garda station on the traffic island, (simialr to Times Square) and incentivise Irish businesses/shops to open in the mid/south end of the Street.
Ps Protesting about charging for water that we already pay for is more meaningful than going shopping and blowing our income on shit you don’t really need.
No it was the austerity forced on us originally by Fianna Fail and now Fine Gale and Labour anyone who voted yes on this is just people who love FG/FF/Lab. they know well this closure is due to their parties austerity and won’t admit it. Be realistic a protest every couple months closed clearys? Cop on guys.
Sean Murphy, what a knob head FFS
The water protests in principal are right bit the drama around them is a joke but to say they contributed to clerys closing is pathetic, anyone who seriously claims it should be sectioned
Is Seán Murphy a member of Fine Gael?
What rubbish is this. The Government allows this to happen. And now blames protests. No contracts. No blame for the ritch as this troll of a woman who owes millions to others and walks away with 2 mil in her account gives the finger Tut tut the journal. Cheap shot. It’s pathetic.
I never travel into the city ,but went to 5 protests ,,each time went in to bar/restaurant to get something to eat ,Was talking to manager and i asked her was it always this busy ,? she said they have to take on extra staff to cope ,,she smiled and said wish they were demos every day ,Never read such bullshit ,Sure its nothing to do with high rents ,rates,, people with less money in their pockets due to austerity ,,,Damn protesters standing up for their rights ,
It’s the same story every year, shops have to close, restaurants have to shut and pubs & hotels can’t open!
All because there are thousands of people in Dublin celebrating St. Patricks Day.
The city just can’t cope with so many people!
Nonsense. Where is the evidence ? Pic says protest on April 18th ? Was there one on April 18th ?
It makes perfect sense. 50-100 thousand people outside your shop must negatively affect business. I’m sure none of them went in and spent money. They most likely prevented the “true customers” from gaining access as they perilously attempted to traverse the riff-raff.
Hermes….your posts are soo enigmatic..I didn’t know the right honourable Mr John Tierney presided over the Eyre square atrocity…though I DID know about his incinerator scam….
Complete rubbish , I sat in the tea room of Clearys with my daughter, everyone around me had been on the protest and we were all chatting amongst ourselves.Was a great atmosphere.
And what caused their 2 million loss in 2011 . ? http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/clery-s-to-remain-closed-in-coming-days-after-significant-water-damage-1.1474625
of course it was the water protests.. it has nothing to do with years of austerity and the fact people have no spare cash to spend, not sure whats closing all the shops in my town though, there has only been 2 protests here and nearly every shop in the town is closed…
The government caused this mess and will continue to do so unless a proper head gets in to sort it out
What a stupid thing to say. I guess mr murphy is not as bright as his certificate in public relations would suggest.
I think Cliodhna has been playing with a Daily Mail headline generator. “Are immigrants stealing your Clery’s?”
Damn those pesky protestors, eh?
“What need you, being come to sense,
But fumble in a greasy till”
No, water protests and similar efforts to combat austerity are one of the few brakes on vulture funds attacking the jobs, income and conditions of everyone in Ireland. The ridiculous fiction of the Clery’s building and the trading being separate legal entities shows how the government and courts are no protection against these financial gangs of thieves. It’s up to people on the streets, in the unions and at the ballot to defeat neoliberalism.
Well personally I know they kept me out of the country/city and spending money on at least one occasion.
But wouldn’t have spent it in Cleary’s anyway.
I don’t think buying a Mars bar counts as serious trade Drew.
divide and conquer comes to mind
This stupidity should not be made newsworthy by the Journal or any newspaper? Sean Murphy is an ex PR man for Science Foundation Ireland and for Chambers Ireland – the connections to big business i.e. those who will benefit from the Irish Water scam to screw Irish people for a service they are already paying for. The end of Clery’s has been coming for years, they were pushed towards bankruptcy like so many other Irish retailers – purely due to government and EU policies to transfer more and more weatlh from Joe Soap to the bankers in Germany, UK etc.
Lets not forget globalisation and neoliberalist policies that opened up the tiny Irish economy to competition from massive economies like Germany, France and not to mind greater and greater competition from UK high street chains taking over Irish streets. Of course another simple reason may have been bad management – Clerys has been a boring shop for years.
The EU has been a disaster for Irish business, and is solely responsible for destroying our economy. When they wheel out idiots like Sean Murphy with smoke and mirrors stories to deflect and distract people from looking at the true source of the problem – Government and the EU – then we know the media is 100% bought and Irish people have been lobomotised.
Media should be ashamed for reporting such utter drivel from nobodies like the CEO of REI!
Where do these clowns come up with their ideas. If retailers weren’t trying to rip everyone off and exploiting their staff they might actually attract more customers
We want to “here” from you.
I think it was spelling and grammar that closed Clerys.
100% it did, I work in retail on O’Connell street, any sort of protest or parade would dramatically decrease footfall in store, people are more interested in what’s happening or want to get away from it all. Of course there’s slot of other things that contribute to poor footfall on o Connell street but people need to get out there and support north side shops who are trying to get through and solve these problems, Dublin biz are doing their best every morning cleaning up streets. Hammer on we say!
Every organization with a gripe heads for O Connell Street to protest leading the media to advise the public to avoid the street You would have to be an Idiot to believe that it would have no impact on trade
My guess is that the protests were not a major factor in Clery’s decline, but what’s going to happen when there’s a Luas track running down O’Connell Street and every time there’s a protest about anything the whole line gets affected?
Who cares.
Why don’t they hold the protests in the Phoenix park? While I doubt that protests alone caused the closure of Clery’s, I certainly wouldn’t go into Dublin on a day that protests or riots were imminent. I’d imagine that traders in the city centre must be sick of every rag-tag band of Eirigi clones that decides to protest about everything and nothing.
If they had these gatherings in the Phoenix park, everybody would be happy. Except the zoo maybe.
Riots?….hyperbole much?
Wow can’t believe muppets voted yes but if some white collar guy says it’s true it must be
have your say