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Justice Minister Welcomes Policing Authority Report On Performance Of An Garda Síochána During COVID-19 Health Crisis.

Minister McEntee welcomes the latest Policing Authority report on the performance by An Garda Síochána, during the COVID-19 health crisis.

The Policing Authority reflects on the performance of An Garda Síochána and their frontline contribution to supporting the public health guidelines
The Report covers the period from July 2021 to December 2021, when the majority of health protection restrictions were relaxed .

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, has today welcomed the sixteenth Report from the Policing Authority on the performance by An Garda Síochána of its policing role in the support of the COVID-19 public health restrictions.

Minister McEntee stated,

“I am grateful to the Policing Authority for the valuable work they have undertaken over the course of the pandemic. The Reports on the performance of An Garda Síochána in policing the public health regulations have provided an independent and transparent assessment of the Garda response to the pandemic.

Thanks to the work of the Authority, we can all be confident that An Garda Síochána will continue to serve our communities, continue to employ the graduated response which has achieved so much, and continue to adapt to the evolving situation.”

Over the course of the pandemic, the Poling Authority have maintained contact with a broad cross-section of civil society organisations to gauge the reception and attitude to An Garda Síochána and the public health guidelines. In preparing the current report, the Policing Authority have reflected on these consultations and how the experience of communities has evolved over the course of the emergency public health measures to the present time.

Minister McEntee continued,

“There is much from the Policing Authority’s Reports that will inform the future direction of policing in Ireland and much to reflect upon for maintaining and enhancing the public confidence across all communities that has been garnered during the pandemic.

I welcome in particular the focus in this report on the role of policing as a public service. This is very much at the heart of the policing reforms that we are working with An Garda Síochána to implement.

The relationship between An Garda Síochána and the communities it serves has been strengthened during the pandemic.
I am confident that bond can be maintained and built upon. I also know that An Garda Síochána is committed to ensuring that its relationship with all our communities is as strong as possible.”

The Minister concluded by stating,

“I would like to congratulate An Garda Síochána on the very valuable work they have undertaken in reaching out to vulnerable victims of domestic abuse and I acknowledge the very real challenges for Garda members in maintaining public confidence during the period of public health restrictions, and beyond.

However, I have seen how Gardaí have constantly addressed the challenges, how they have adapted to the evolving situation and how they have been resilient in delivering for the public in the face of risk and uncertainly. I would like to thank the women and men of An Garda Síochána for their continued exemplary public service”

Killer Covid-19 Cases Reach 5,468 On Irish Mainland.

There have been 3,887 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed by the Department of Health, in the Irish Republic; reported in the past 24 hours.

Of these 493 patients are in our hospital’s having tested positive for Covid-19, down 25 from on yesterday’s reported total and of these 109 are receiving treatment in intensive care units, an increase of 1 on yesterday.

Earlier today, An Taoiseach Mr Micheál Martin said the Government needs everyone on board in relation to the booster roll-out, as the new Omicron variant is of a serious concern.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) estimates that 11% of Covid-19 cases in Ireland currently are now due to the new, more transmissible, Omicron variant.

Dr Mike Ryan, head of the World Health Organization’s Health Emergency Programme, has stated that we can’t vaccinate our way out of this pandemic nor can we lockdown our way, what we have to do is have coherent, multilayered strategies that get us through to the end of this pandemic.
Mr Ryan also warned the public to expect that rising numbers and force of infection would generate more hospitalisations within the coming weeks.

In possibly more encouraging news, results based on trials of more than 2,200 people and other back-up findings announced last month by Pfizer; the drugs company has stated today that clinical trials confirmed its new anti-Covid pill reduced hospitalisations and deaths among at-risk people by almost 90%, when it was taken in the first few days after Covid symptoms had appeared.
The company further stated that this oral treatment appears to be effective against the new Omicron variant.

A further 1,581 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Northern Ireland today, up from 1,431 reported yesterday.

There are 326 patients with Covid-19 in hospitals in Northern Ireland, up from 309 yesterday, and of these, 31 patients with Covid-19 are in northern hospital intensive care units.
Sadly, 4 further Covid-19-related deaths have also been reported in Northern Ireland today.

In Northern Ireland also, persons wishing to patronise nightclubs, pubs, restaurants and other licensed premises will now need to provide proof of vaccination or a negative lateral flow test result or evidence of a previous Covid-19 infection.

Take measures today to ensure a safe Christmas in Co. Tipperary.

Minister McEntee Confirms Opening Of Afghan Admission Programme.

Programme will open for applications on December 16th for eight weeks.
Up to 500 places available on the Programme.
Current or former Afghan nationals living in Ireland can apply for temporary residence for 4 close family members.
Priority will be given to those most vulnerable including: older people, children, women and girls and people with disabilities.

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, has today confirmed that the Afghan Admission Programme will open for applications this Thursday, 16th December 2021.

The Programme will enable current or former Afghan nationals living legally in Ireland to apply to have their close family members, who are living in Afghanistan or who have recently fled to territories bordering Afghanistan, to apply for temporary residence in Ireland.

Up to 500 places will be available on the Programme, which is a key part of the Government’s response to the evolving humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

Outlining the Programme, Minister McEntee said:

“I am delighted to now be able to confirm that we are opening the Afghan Admission Programme for applications. I am very conscious of the plight faced by the Afghan people following the collapse of the former Afghan government and the takeover by the Taliban.

A reversal of human rights, increased violence and fear of reprisals has led to a large number of displaced people seeking help. Understandably, it has also been a very worrying time for the Afghan community living in Ireland as they fear for the safety of their family members in Afghanistan or displaced to neighbouring countries.

In processing applications, we will be prioritising those who are especially vulnerable and whose freedom and safety is most at risk, like older people, children, single female parents, single women and girls and people with disabilities. We will also give priority to people whose previous employment exposes them to greater risk, for example UN and EU employees and people who worked for civil society organisations.”

The Programme is part of a co-ordinated national response, in conjunction with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, to the crisis in Afghanistan.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Mr James Browne TD, said,

“In opening the Programme for applications we are delivering on the commitment made by the Government on behalf of the Irish people. I want to thank the Afghan community in Ireland for their patience while we worked to finalise the details of the Programme.

Our objective is to ensure that applications can be processed as quickly as possible and the criteria have been developed with this in mind. I look forward to welcoming the first family members to Ireland under the Programme in the near future”.

As part of this response, an additional 500 places have been made available through the Irish Refugee Protection Programme for refugees from Afghanistan since August 31st 2021. The Department of Justice has provided the visa waivers to facilitate their travel to Ireland.

The Department has also provided assistance to Afghan nationals through the statutory family reunification provisions.

Minister McEntee concluded,

“Family reunification avenues have already enabled many Afghan nationals to join their families here in Ireland. So far this year, 110 Afghan nationals have been granted a statutory Family Reunification permission under the International Protection Act 2015. My Department has also issued 102 Join Family visas to Afghan citizens since August 2021.

Combined with the 500 available places on the Programme that we are announcing today, this represents a very high level of support for the 1,200 strong Afghan community currently living in Ireland.’’

The Afghan Admission Programme is guided by the previous Syrian Humanitarian Assistance Programme (SHAP) and the IRPP Humanitarian Assistance Programme (IHAP) schemes, which also provided for the nomination of limited numbers of close family members.

The Programme will open for applications on December 16th 2021 and applications will be accepted for a period of eight weeks until 10 February 2022. The application form and guidance material to help with completing an application will be available on the Department’s Irish Immigration website [www.irishimmigration.ie] on December 16th 2021.

Facebook Account Of Dolores Cahill Removed Due To Covid-19 Misinformation.

Facebook has at last removed the social media page operated by Ms Dolores Cahill, latter a former UCD professor and prominent anti-vaccination activist.

You will remember, Dolores Cahill was one of 11 candidates to contest the 2020 Irish General Election, held on Saturday February 8th, 2020, with none of their candidates being successfully elected. Dolores Cahill, claiming to represent the electorate of County of Tipperary, came second-last in the Tipperary constituency, with a miserable 521 first preference votes.
Following this election failure, her agents ceased to function failing in the removal of her election posters, for almost one year.

A spokeswoman for Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has confirmed that her Facebook page has now finally been removed by the social media giant, as part of its promise to fight harmful Covid-19 misinformation.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began Ms Cahill has consistently remained one of the most prominent purveyors of misinformation not just in Ireland but also Internationally.

Just last month, Ms Cahill was fined £2,500 (sterling) by a London court, for defiantly holding anti-lockdown protests in breach of agreed Covid restrictions.
Ms Cahill is no longer an employee and lecturer at University College Dublin (UCD), with her details having been removed from the University’s online staff directory. UCD had faced criticism in the past for not taking action earlier against Ms Cahill over false and misleading claims.
In 2020, Ms Cahill was asked to resign as Vice Chair of the Scientific Committee of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), latter a partnership between the European Commission and the drugs industry.

At the start of the pandemic, her Facebook page was followed by about 3,500 people, but by July 1st, 2021, her following had grown to include some 460,000 misguided individuals.

Today Killer Covid-19 Cases Confirmed At 6,119 On Irish Mainland.

People Urged to get Booster Vaccine.

The Department of Health has confirmed 4,688 new cases of Covid-19, over the past 24 hours, here in the Republic of Ireland.

There are 517 patients with Covid-19 in our Republic’s hospitals, an increase of 13 on yesterday’s reported figures and of these 108 are in intensive care units.

The number of Omicron variant cases has increased here in the Irish Republic by 8, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 18.

Green Party leader Mr Eamon Ryan has urged people to get the Covid booster vaccine, stating there are real and valid concerns because of the threat posed by the Omicron variant.

Minister for Health Mr Stephen Donnelly has accepted a National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) recommendation and people will now be able to receive a booster dose of a Covid-19 vaccine three months after their second dose.
Latest figures show that more than 1,209.243 doses of the booster vaccine have already been administered, to-date, here in the Irish Republic.

The Department of Education has announced a €62m Covid-19 funding scheme for all schools which aims to assist in improving ventilation and minor school works.

A further 1,431 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Northern Ireland today, down from 1,548 reported yesterday.
Today, there were 309 patients with Covid-19 in Northern Ireland hospitals, with 32 of these patients in hospital intensive care units.
Sadly, 4 Covid-19 related deaths have also been confirmed in Northern Ireland today, bringing their total deaths to 2,928.
Northern Ireland must now brace itself for a Covid-19 storm, Minister Mr Paul Givan has warned the public, as 10 cases of the Covid-19 variant Omicron is confirmed. He claimed the expectation will copy the same trajectory as what is happening currently in Great Britain.

In England, as the country launches an ambitious Covid booster shot programme in an effort to stop the spread of the virus; one person is now known to have died after being infected with the new Omicron variant.

According to the country’s Serum Institute, the Omicron variant is expected to become the dominant virus this week in Denmark, with new daily cases reaching some 10,000. The institute has identified 3,437 Omicron cases since it was first detected in Denmark on November 22nd last.

In Sydney, Australia, some 70 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in the country to-date.

The Prime Minister of Norway, Mr Jonas Gahr Stoere has stated Norway will tighten restrictions and speed up vaccination in a bid to limit an expected surge of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus

In China, state media has reported, today, their first case of the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant.

Take measures today to ensure a safe Christmas in Co. Tipperary.