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LAST UPDATE | 19 Oct 2021
THE GOVERNMENT HAS been advised by health experts that there is some scope to ease remaining Covid-19 restrictions on Friday but only if there is rigid enforcement.
A meeting between coalition party leaders Micheál Martin, Leo Varadkar and Eamon Ryan took place last night.
The full Cabinet will now meet today to discuss the latest advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), who met yesterday.
Government sources have indicated that the advice from NPHET gives some space to ease more restrictions, but only if the enforcement of vaccine passes, social distancing and mask-wearing remains in place.
The advice has been described as “not straightforward”, however sources remained optimistic that there is space to proceed.
The removal of most remaining restrictions was thrown into doubt in recent days in response to a rise in Covid cases and hospitalisations.
Following a meeting of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC), it is understood that booster shots have also been recommended for the over 60s.
The advice will now be considered by Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan and the HSE, which administers the vaccine programme.
Speaking last week, NIAC chair Professor Karina Butler said the focus in Ireland should be on people who remain unvaccinated rather than pushing for a widespread booster campaign.
The number of people in Ireland who remain unvaccinated is “the real elephant in the room”, she said.
Last night’s meeting
Leaders were warned last night that there are risks associated with further easing – with sources stating that overall the briefing from health experts was “quite pessimistic” about the next few weeks and months.
However sources said that on balance NPHET took the view that to pause the scrapping of all remaining restrictions on Friday could change that outlook.
Earlier yesterday the Taoiseach confirmed that the Government was considering extending the use of the Covid pass, mask wearing and social distancing.
Speaking to reporters in Sligo, the Taoiseach also confirmed that the Government will consider the greater role antigen testing could play in the further easing of restrictions.
Martin said he is a strong believer in antigen testing, and the use of such testing will be considered over the next 24 hours, despite health experts sitting on NPHET questioning the effectiveness of such tests.
While he said he would not pre-empt today’s Cabinet meeting, Martin said “we are in a much different space to this time last year because of vaccination”.
He said vaccination had “transformed” the situation, and “our capacity to deal and cope with the situation”.
“It is not Groundhog Day – I don’t accept that,” he said, adding that the rise in hospitalisations was a “cause for reflection”.
The Government wants to provide clarity for businesses today, he said.
“This isn’t an absence of clarity, it’s that Covid is behaving in a certain way,” he said.
Asked about the Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn’s comments on Friday in relation to people working from home over the winter months, the Taoiseach said “there has been no change” in policy since it was announced in September that there should be a phased return to the workplace.
HSE CEO Paul Reid warned yesterday that due to the numbers in hospital with Covid, it is “time for us all to hit the reset button”.
“If unvaccinated you’re at higher risk, resulting in disproportionate impact. Do the right thing,” Reid said on Twitter.
“For the rest of us, time to do the basics well again. Both of the above work.”
The latest figures show there were 484 people in hospital with Covid-19, an increase of 25 on the previous day’s figure.
This day two weeks ago there were 349 people with Covid-19 in hospital.
- With reporting from Daragh Brophy
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Abbott is inexcusably thick and no more than a Rupert Murdoch stooge. The sooner he’s gone, the better for Australia.
Australia deserves better.
And the smell of onion on his breath would knock a horse!
Agreed, it’s great news. Don’t know a lot about Australian politics but I do know that Tony Abbot is a racist and vile misogynist.
You can find racism a lot closer to home. Have a look at any article about refugees…
completely agree with you monty but this will keep the liberals in power since Turnbull is more popular with libral voters. With Abott as pm, the libral party didnt stand a chance…now its just a different jockey on the same horse. Ultimately i doubt Turnbull will do anything different.
Monty , right first time u don’t know a lot .
Good point, Game – Turnbull is probably more diplomatic and less overtly bigoted and therefore less of a liability than Abbott and more likely to ensure the Liberal Party stay in power. He still represents a party with deplorable principles and if he increases their chance of maintaining power that is indeed undesirable.
And Tony has gone and the revolving door of the PMs office continues. Thankfully, Abbott is gone who was a PM of slogans and rhetoric. The fact that Murdoch dislikes Turnbull has to be a positive thing for the country, surely. Turnbull is a self made man, Abbott has never done anything but politics………enough said.
“Abbott is inexcusably thick”
Tony Abbott is a Rhode Scholar.
I can’t stand the guy. I find his politics and his character equally reprehensible. But whatever his failings, he can’t possibly be as stupid as he looks.
A Rhodes Scholarship merely means one has the ability to study and pass exams, Abbott has consistently demonstrated he’s as thick as two short planks. His entire policy agenda during his tenure as PM consisted of three word slogans two of which where always “Stop the..”. One thing voters hate more than being taken for fools but is being taken as dumb. Abbott’s singular most enduring success was achieving unanimous consensus among conservative and progressive political commentators that his was the worst government in Australian history by every criteria. That takes a special kind of dumb!
No, he’s stupid alright, he could have stayed in power if he had been patient and not tried to force all of his right wing tea party conservative bullshit all at once.
His biggest mistake was he thought he’d won the election because people loved him. He won because the previous government imploded spectacularly. A bit like Enda really…
No opposition ever wins an election, governments lose them.
Sir Prince Phillip. I can’t stop laughing. Yes Australia. Get rid of this idiot.
gday mate hahahhahahahahahhahaha
Apparently the leadership challenge was decided by a knifey spooney contest.
A change in leadership would be a positive move. Here’s hoping.
Please please please get rid of him. Turnbull is not the saviour but he’s a hell if a lot better than Abbott.
Great news. Gotten rid of a bible bashing, monarchy loving, backwards plank and replacing him with a pro gay marriage, pro environment and articulate prime minister. That’s progress.
What being pro gay is the first criteria for a prime minister !!
that’s probably why Abbott got the boot. He wouldn’t support gay marriage, so he had to go.
It’s more what that represents I.e they’re not stuck in the 19th century.
They are hoping to Shorten the odds!
With Mr. Abbott it’s a toss up as to whether he is totally arrogant or just stupid.
Both.
We have a new PM . Yes.
Whatever about the pros and cons of the people in question, if I were Australian, I would be deeply uncomfortable at the tendency of governing parties in Australia to change leaders, and thus PM’s, without seeking a fresh mandate from the electorate.
I can’t think of any other western democracy where this happens.
The last time an Australian Prime Minister served a full term the iPhone hadn’t been invented.
out of interest, the people of Australia voted against Turnbull when he was leader. kind of like the hatred noonan becoming leader again (and automatic taoiseach).
The people never got the chance to vote on Turnbull last time as he was knifed by his own because he was too moderate and wasn’t far right enough for them.
The hand that wields the knife shall never wear the crown
That’s not a knife!
Thankfully, we have Australia giving us an example of how to change leaders mid-term.
Enda deserves to know how Tony feels.
Abbot is a smart man let down by his people skills , Turnbull is a much better communicator . But the Labour Party are very weak bill shorten looks like the substitute teacher no one listens to and albanese ain’t any better
There’s no “Labour” party in Australia
No Abbott is an idiot who failed to capitalise on being handed power.
Yes!
The Australian Liberal (politically conservative) Party may deserve to lose the next Australian general election, as a result of hastily stabbing their relatively young Prime Minister in the back. By taking this course, the Liberal Party have proven themselves to be no better than their rivals – the Australian Labor Party – who were disloyal to their own prime ministers even before the Australian people had a chance to pass a verdict on them at the ballot box.
Tony Abbot deserved the opportunity to make his case before the Australian people in his country’s general election next year. The fact that he was betrayed, robbed of the right to do this by his very own party may result in Australian voters taking a dim view of the Liberals for not giving Tony Abbott a “fair go”, in addition to a very public back-stabbing and betrayal. The fact is that Mr Abbott won a general election, as recently as 2013, as his party’s leader. He had earned the right to defend his premiership at next year’s general election.
In fairness, the Australian people didn’t know just how much a tosser this guy was when they elected him.
John when back benchers fear for their seats in the next election wright or wrong has nothing to do with it. They would have got hammered in the next election under Abbott now at least they have some chance. Politics the world over has noting to do with having principles or being good or bad, it is all about re-election at least now they have some chance. Politics is all about self preservation.
@John – The Liberals had next to no chance of being re-elected with Abbott leading the party. This is actually a blow to the people that would like to see the Liberals out next term, they’re a stronger opponent without him.
There would be very few people saying Tony didn’t get a fair go, he did and c*cked it up at every opportunity, even those that would’ve originally backed his party and policies quickly realised he is bad for business and a complete embarrassment.
There’ll be very few people not celebrating this news today.
‘How ya’ – what chance have our children got when adults write like this?
Well Tap……don’t write and don’t have children.
Oi, Mr Prime Minister…..ANDY!!!!
And I care why?
Go back to your bread and circuses, the grown-ups are talking.
This result will cause huge division within the Australian Liberal Party making it much harder for them to govern effectively, and even to win reelection.
Looks like ‘game, set and match’ where the Australian government are concerned.
have your say