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The Minister for Health Mr Stephen Donnelly has warned the public that mask-wearing on public transport and continued mask-wearing in health settings, may once again become mandatory, if Covid-19 cases continue to rise. He made this statement following discussions last night with the Chief Medical Officer, Prof. Breda Smyth.
Fewer people are wearing masks on public transport, or indeed in crowded places like Supermarkets, Entertainment Centres, and Sports Arenas as life attempts to returns to normality.
While Ireland is not alone in seeing a rise in Covid; cases here over the past 14 days have risen as was predicted. Today we are aware there are 474 Covid-19 patients in our republic’s hospitals, of which 13 remain in intensive care units (ICU); thus forcing medical facilities to operate separate twin admission systems, while attempting to deal with Covid and non-Covid patients.
The HSE, currently, does not operate PCR tests for people under the age of 55 for symptoms of Covid-19, unless they are otherwise recorded as being unhealthy. This makes it difficult to get a true overall accurate image of the scale of infection within communities.
The Government’s current approach is to encourage further uptake of vaccines and booster doses, as advertised daily in media adverts.
Recent figures show that one in 40 people in Northern Ireland are currently infected, and with influenza and respiratory viruses also rearing their ugly heads, this in turn is bound to make conditions a bit more difficult over this winter and spring period.
Minister for Social Protection Mrs Heather Humphreys and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Mr Michael McGrath have confirmed the dates of when eight different lump sum payments will be doled out between now and Christmas.
The promised Autumn double payment will take effect from next Monday October 17th, benefitting some 1.4 million Irish residents.
The promised double child benefit payment will be paid on the week beginning November 1st., while the fuel allowance lump sum, of €400, will come into effect during the week commencing November 14th next.
On the same date, (November 14th), the promised €200 living alone allowance lump sum payment will be made to some 234,000 people.
There will be a €500 cost of living payment made to those in receipt of the working family payment, and a €500 disability support grant will also be paid over that same time period.
From November 21st next, a €500 carers support grant payment will be made to over 130,000 carers.
The welcome annual double payment Christmas bonus will be paid on the week commencing December 5th, 2022
With effect from January 2023; welfare increases of €12 per week will come into being, including a major expansion of the fuel allowance scheme.
No specific dates have been agreed yet in relation to the first of 3 promised electricity credits, due to be paid in November/December.
Given the level of uncertainty and volatility in ever increasing cost of living, the question of further payments will be kept under continuous review by the Government.
Ms Maura Barrett, Cashel Library Reports:-
Bullán stones (From the Irish word meaning a bowl, describing the bowl-like depressions in the stone), were used as ‘Cursing stones’ or ‘Curing stones’. They consist of a stone with one or more depressions in it and date from the Neolithic period. They are sometimes located near early monastic sites.
As ‘Curing Stones’ women sometimes cured people by rolling these stones.
However, when used as a ‘Cursing stone’; did you know the last time the stone were ‘turned’ on Inishmurray Island, latter 7km off the coast of Co. Sligo, they were ‘turned’ to curse Hitler and resulted in the fall of the 3rd Reich?
Did you know the ‘Cursing Stone’ was ‘turned’ against the HMS Wasp, when it tried to evict non rent paying families on Tory Island, latter off the north-west coast of Co. Donegal, during the Great Famine (1845- 1849); same resulting on the ship being wrecked on the rocks, with just 6 of its 48 passengers only being saved?
“We in Cashel Library, would be delighted to see you, if you can make this informative lecture.
I’ve done a lot of research on this subject, so all are welcome on Friday morning, October 28th next @ 11:00am, to Cashel Library, but do remember to RSVP Cashel Library by Telephone please, to 062-63825.”
In the meantime, should you accidently stumble across ‘Cursing stones’ that may have been previously overlooked, be sure not to disturb same, as they may already have been cursed.
Warning: Turning these stones anti-clockwise or against the sun, who knows what could happen.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) last week welcomed the EU-wide research conducted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The 2022 Eurobarometer on food safety, the first to be commissioned since 2019, and focused on a range of topics including concerns about food safety, trust in sources of information on food risks, and personal interest in food safety.
When asked about factors affecting food purchases, Irish consumers ranked cost (63%) as the most important consideration, with taste (54%) and food safety (52%) following close behind. Strikingly, these results are higher overall than the average top concerns across the whole EU of cost (54%), taste (51%) and food safety (46%).
Other findings from the Eurobarometer include:
- Chief among Irish food safety concerns are food poisoning from food or drinks contaminated by bacteria, viruses, and parasites (39%); pesticide residues in food (36%); and additives like colours, preservatives or flavourings used in food or drinks (29%).
- A strong majority of Irish consumers (82% of men and 83% of women) would change their behaviour if made aware of a foodborne disease outbreak news story, with 90% of those aged 15–24 stating they would do so.
- When asked for their reasons for not engaging with the EU food safety system, Irish consumers (47%) responded; “I take it for granted that the food sold is safe”.
Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI said, “In the current high cost of living climate and with rising household bills, it is not surprising to see that Irish consumers report cost as the main factor when purchasing food, up 6% since 2019. However, from a food safety perspective, it is encouraging to see that Irish consumers place food safety as the third most important factor when buying food.
Over 1,000 Irish consumers were interviewed as part of this research, and 90% of those agreed that regulations are in place to ensure that the food we eat is safe, with 84% of the same respondents trusting national authorities as a source of information on food risk, a figure almost 20% higher than the EU average (66%).
75% of Irish people interviewed said they had a personal interest in the topic of food safety. We want every Irish consumer to know that the FSAI is responsive and understanding of their concerns regarding food safety. We continue to work with food businesses in Ireland to ensure that food safety regulations are complied with and that Ireland maintains its positive reputation for producing safe food. Working in conjunction with the food inspectorate and other EU food safety authorities, we will continue to protect consumers and raise compliance through partnership, science, and food law enforcement,” Dr Byrne concluded.
True for Sean O’Casey’s character ‘Captain Boyle’ in ‘Juno and the Paycock’, quote “Th’ whole county of Tipperary is in a terrible state o’ chassis”, said Mikey Ryan.
Mikey had just finished reading a copy of one of the local rag newspapers, which he had pulled from behind the counter, when I caught up with him, after his 4th pint of the evening, in The Arch Bar, Liberty Square.
“I believe his phrase was Th’ whole world’s in a terrible state o’ chassis”, said I, sounding intelligent.
“Same difference”, said Mikey.
“Ah to be fair, Tipperary was the only county in Ireland to show a decrease in the numbers on the Live Register in the last 12 months”, said I, “with an overall drop of some 1%”.
“What that figure really represent is 1% of our residents, anxious to seek work, eventually took the hint and moved overseas”, said Mikey, “Why do you think they’ve sprayed the graffiti image of a Swallow on our town’s cark park wall? They are hoping that the same 1% will come back like the swallows next summer on holidays, and prop up Fáilte Ireland’s imaginary tourist figures. One wonders why we continue to pay Mick Lowry and Jackie Cahill salaries of 2 million Euro’s, including expenses, every 5 year period, despite their consistent inadequacy in producing even one single job in Thurles, during their lengthy period in office”, Mikey continued.
“No argument there Mikey”, said I, “but then that doesn’t stop them from regularly demonstrating their delusions of adequacy.
Anyway, tell us this and tell us no more, did you ever think of emigrating yourself Mikey” I continued.
“Several times” said Mikey, “I wanted to move to Australia once, but the immigration officer started asking awkward questions. Have you any criminal convictions? says he. Sure I, as an Irishman wasn’t to know that crime was still an Australian requirement for immigrants, after Michael Collins had helped the British to escape out of this country”.
“I never told you this before”, continued Mikey, “but I tried to get a visa for America, earlier this year. The immigration official asked where was I hoping to go, and when I said San Jose, Northern California before the immigration officer corrected me saying that San Jose was pronounced ‘San Hose’; It seems their ‘J’ is pronounced as a ‘H’.
“So how long do you intend staying in San Hose?” says he. “In my efforts” said I “to impress, I said six months; from Hanuary to Hune.
“Then”, said Mikey, “sure in filling out the immigration form I was asked “Sex“. I tried to answer truthfully, as I had already ticked the ‘married‘ box, so I wrote ‘just occasionally’.
Then while I was there in the immigration office, disaster, didn’t I interrupt the interviewing officer, who was answering his mobile phone, informing him that “They should be shipped back where they came from, as they have a tendency to cause explosions”.
The illegitimate son of a b..ch accused me of being racist and was about to call security, before I eventually persuaded him, that I was referring to the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phone, he was using.
Still he wrote me a lovely letter a few days later, stating that my visa was denied on the grounds of fears that the level of the current IQ, present in ‘San Hose’ would double”.
“Tell me this Mikey”, said I, “is Thurles the only town in the world not suffering from a severe energy crisis?”
“Indeed it appears so” said Mikey, “sure aren’t 57 street lights burning currently in Thurles town, during day light hours, and for the last 4 months. Yet, a senior Tipperary council official has been urging community and business groups elsewhere in the county, to reduce the hours that Christmas lights are left turned on during the forthcoming festive season, (Note: only another 11 Saturdays left until Xmas Eve), as energy costs continue to soar. Thank God the Director of Services Mr Brian Beck doesn’t get up as far as Thurles or he would really “blow a fuse”, Mikey ranted on.
“When you’re ready Pat, you can give Mikey another pint,” said I, “we’ll be walking home every night from now on, since they’ve tripled the width of Thurles town pavements”.
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