Can we have some fcuking control on the airports from high risk countries please?

Ronaldinho

Defund the guards

Feisar wrote: »

If only he said, “but I’m an American”. So close to being a classic. What a tit.

Nah - the best bit was when he told them he was in an expensive coat

Eric Cartman

Ronaldinho wrote: »

Defund the guards


Nah - the best bit was when he told them he was in an expensive coat

the coat got me too.

MojoMaker

German or Swiss guy from the accent.

caveat emptor

That tunnel looks like a disco. We've no idea why he was pulled out of that car.

What we do know is ....


"he has a nice coat, don't pull it"
"I wasn't trying to fight you guys"
"He can't breath just like flood George"

I'd say he was a B rate actor employed to highlight the checkpoints.

He must have said something horrific to be pulled from the car.

IngazZagni

ShineOn7 wrote: »

These are strange times we're living in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDik2L9BIaE

This is the Ireland that so many people are demanding. It’s scary.

This travel quarantine is a waste of bloody time as long as the border with the north remains open and that’s not going to close.

ShineOn7

IngazZagni wrote: »

This is the Ireland that so many people are demanding. It’s scary.

This travel quarantine is a waste of bloody time as long as the border with the north remains open and that’s not going to close.

The Gardaí are normally far too laid back for their own good

So whatever this eejit said/did must've warranted their actions

DaSilva

COG UK put up their mutation explorer today. It lets you see all the mutations they have recorded in the UK, I have here a list of 21 identified mutations in isolates from the UK that all have some lab proven antigenic escape.
The two highlighted mutations are two of the worrying mutations that really define the "Brazilian Strain".

I'm sure if we keep those Brazilians out we will be fine though :pac:

Rodin

IngazZagni wrote: »

This is the Ireland that so many people are demanding. It’s scary.

This travel quarantine is a waste of bloody time as long as the border with the north remains open and that’s not going to close.

Rubbish.
There are ways to get around airport security but we don't remove it because it's pointless.
Quarantine for ALL who fly/sail in to the state will reduce the chances of further cases/variants coming in. Can't eliminate it unless we ban travel altogether.

ShineOn7

Call for quicker action on hotel quarantines amid concern over Brazil variant

Quarantine legislation was brought to Cabinet last week, but a range of issues are still being worked through

The rest is behind a paywall here https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/call-for-quicker-action-on-hotel-quarantines-amid-concern-over-brazil-variant-1.4492119?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2Fcall-for-quicker-action-on-hotel-quarantines-amid-concern-over-brazil-variant-1.4492119

Grueller Baby

Claire Byrne absolutely tire Calamity Stephen a new one when asking about hotel quarantine.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Caolanmcaree/status/1363986254086496257

ShineOn7

Grueller Baby wrote: »

Claire Byrne absolutely tire Calamity Stephen a new one when asking about hotel quarantine.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Caolanmcaree/status/1363986254086496257

Beautiful :pac:

Her smile after she asked it says it all

I loathe the man on a visceral level and I'm usually apathetic to politicians in general

zell12

Happydays2020

Rodin wrote: »

Regarding the Jack Lambert study with low numbers of cases linked to travel..

It is thought 90% of cases now are the UK variant.
EVERY one of those is linked to travel.
The UK variant didn't swim here or come in on an easterly.

How do you know that we did not have the same mutation?

faceman

zell12 wrote: »

Good. With the U.K. opening up in a matter of months the whole notion of a 2 island approach with a non EU country will be highlighted for the farcical idealistic premise that it is.

Meanwhile 26 other EU states will have a travel policy aligned by the summer and once again Ireland will be the outlier, flag waving its “comprehends hotel quarantine” system as if it’s some proud achievement, when in reality the only reason why cases will be lower after it’s introduced is because more people have been vaccinated.

And all because people lost their rag at Mary and Joe going to Lanzarote to get their teeth done. All the while the government’s bumbling of the vaccine roll out went unscathed.

I guarantee travel restrictions for Irish people will remain until after the next winter. I.e. spring 2022

ShineOn7

Better quality of last night


https://twitter.com/ClaireByrneLive/status/1364000515013685249

faceman

ShineOn7 wrote: »

Better quality of last night


https://twitter.com/ClaireByrneLive/status/1364000515013685249

Will we get Prime Time or Claire Byrne dedicating a show to vaccine rollouts?

No Ted we won’t.

It doesn’t matter what his remit is, he has 130,000+ members of staff.

saabsaab

Happydays2020 wrote: »

How do you know that we did not have the same mutation?

Not possible.

ShineOn7

I was multi tasking but I'm fairly sure not a single thing about the airports was mentioned in Martin's speech earlier

He had no problems heavily stating that the Kent variant was "practically a new, more dangerous virus"

You know, the one that was let in at the fcuking airports?!


Shambolic shambles by a sham of a "leader"

He lost the entire country tonight

darem93

Yeah that's what gets me. He blamed pretty much this entire mess on the new variant, and yet him and his government were the ones who let the variant in in the first place and the country watches as the airports still remain wide open.

If the variant is the game changer he says it is then why the complete lack of urgency when it comes to mandatory hotel quarantining? Why are they not pulling out all the stops to prevent new variants from getting in? The legislation they introduced is still weeks away, completely half baked and was only introduced in the first place because of public pressure.

It makes no sense and would honestly make your blood boil.

Wanderer2010

Can tourists from USA still waltz into the country with no checks or are they treated the same as our European neighbours? Cant seem to find that info.

MOH

ShineOn7 wrote: »

I was multi tasking but I'm fairly sure not a single thing about the airports was mentioned in Martin's speech earlier

He had no problems heavily stating that the Kent variant was "practically a new, more dangerous virus"

You know, the one that was let in at the fcuking airports?!


Shambolic shambles by a sham of a "leader"

He lost the entire country tonight

There's a promise in the new "plan" of Garda spot checks on travellers quarantining at home. Only about 6 months too late. It's literally the only concrete thing in the entire 57 pages, apart from "open the schools". And I still doubt they'll actually do it.

Rodin

MOH wrote: »

There's a promise in the new "plan" of Garda spot checks on travellers quarantining at home. Only about 6 months too late. It's literally the only concrete thing in the entire 57 pages, apart from "open the schools". And I still doubt they'll actually do it.

Garda spot checks?
I travelled from Mayo to Dublin today and saw no Garda checkpoint the whole time.
Enforcement is negligible

munchkin_utd

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

Can tourists from USA still waltz into the country with no checks or are they treated the same as our European neighbours? Cant seem to find that info.

if you pore over the statutory instruments you'll find a list of the countries which have the full 14 day quarantine, otherwise its a test on arrival plus 14 days unless you can provide a negative second test after the 5th day.
Compared to the situation up to christmas where restricting movements was voluntary, theres now fines for breaking quarantine, rather than it being a wishy washy recommendation.
As far as I remember the second rule applies to america and only specified countries like Brazil and South africa are on the first.

So no, nobody can walz of the plane from anywhere and go straight into tourist mode.

BTW, tourists arent the problem. They dont go visiting people in their home, in an irish workplace or attending clandestine parties. Its mainly the irish coming back from holidays who have the close contacts in Ireland which can start a massive outbreak very quickly. Irish emmigrants acting irresponsibly would be the same, but I get the feeling that their numbers and influence on the pandemic have been low over the year compared to irish holiday makers who love the craic home and abroad

maestroamado

Rodin wrote: »

Garda spot checks?
I travelled from Mayo to Dublin today and saw no Garda checkpoint the whole time.
Enforcement is negligible

For me the whole Government strategy of warning and enforcement was wrong from day 1.
If people were encouraged to take responsibility for controlling Covid would have being better approach.
The powers that be expect prople to have confidence in Leaders, instead some of these people go galavanting and tell us to lockdown.
I do not see Covid being sorted anytime soon...

maestroamado

faceman wrote: »

Good. With the U.K. opening up in a matter of months the whole notion of a 2 island approach with a non EU country will be highlighted for the farcical idealistic premise that it is.

Meanwhile 26 other EU states will have a travel policy aligned by the summer and once again Ireland will be the outlier, flag waving its “comprehends hotel quarantine” system as if it’s some proud achievement, when in reality the only reason why cases will be lower after it’s introduced is because more people have been vaccinated.

And all because people lost their rag at Mary and Joe going to Lanzarote to get their teeth done. All the while the government’s bumbling of the vaccine roll out went unscathed.

I guarantee travel restrictions for Irish people will remain until after the next winter. I.e. spring 2022

I know people who bought flights from NI who bought flights from Berlfast since Boris set out plan.
NI passengers were usingh Dublin as a back door untel we changed on Jan 15?
I expect this to run as the TDs should have cross-party agreement on this, instead i see so-called? opposition whinging about policy on silly stuff....

gozunda

faceman wrote: »

Good. With the U.K. opening up in a matter of months the whole notion of a 2 island approach with a non EU country will be highlighted for the farcical idealistic premise that it is.

Meanwhile 26 other EU states will have a travel policy aligned by the summer and once again Ireland will be the outlier, flag waving its “comprehends hotel quarantine” system as if it’s some proud achievement, when in reality the only reason why cases will be lower after it’s introduced is because more people have been vaccinated.

And all because people lost their rag at Mary and Joe going to Lanzarote to get their teeth done. All the while the government’s bumbling of the vaccine roll out went unscathed.

I guarantee travel restrictions for Irish people will remain until after the next winter. I.e. spring 2022

No its not good. Asholes who think they know better sneaking North to fek off on their holliers to Playa del Tontos or wherever in the midst of a Pandemic.

Whats for sure- the UK will be closing that one down pronto - if only to keep eegits from taking the piss.

The Common Travel Area between UK and Ireland predates our current EU membership. Its in both countries interests to align any travel restrictions

And no its highly highly unlikely that "26 other EU states will have a travel policy aligned by the summer"

Tbh I really don't get it. You're in Spain which has had a horrendous level of infection and number of deaths and brought in draconian travel and regional restrictions and even mandated people wearing masks outdoors and yet here you are hoping another country fails whilst it
desperately trying to keep the lid on its rate of infection? What gives seriously?

MOH

gozunda wrote: »

No its not fuking good. Asholes who think they know better sneaking North to fek off on their holliers to Playa del Tontos or wherever in the midst of a Pandemic.

If they go off on their holiers to Play del Tontos and then quarantine themselves when they get back until they've tested negative then good for them.

The only reason people going on holidays is an issue is that we had literally no policy on inbound travel until just over a month ago. No mandatory quarantine, no negative test on arrival, nothing.

So to cover up their incompetence the government did what they do best and found some cohort of the public to blame. It's worked very well, pity they're not that inventive when it comes to practical methods of actually combatting the virus.

It's sad to see the number of people foaming at the mouth to blame fellow citizens when the fault lies entirely with the government.

gozunda

MOH wrote: »

If they go off on their holiers to Play del Tontos and then quarantine themselves when they get back until they've tested negative then good for them.

The only reason people going on holidays is an issue is that we had literally no policy on inbound travel until just over a month ago. No mandatory quarantine, no negative test on arrival, nothing.

So to cover up their incompetence the government did what they do best and found some cohort of the public to blame. It's worked very well, pity they're not that inventive when it comes to practical methods of actually combatting the virus.

It's sad to see the number of people foaming at the mouth to blame fellow citizens when the fault lies entirely with the government.

If they're engaged in saying fek ya when there is an active advisory against travel for holiday or other leisure purposes and sneaking off to Belfast onto go on holidays - whilst in the UK it is still illegal to travel for the same purposes, you honestly believe the same cohort have any respect for any other restrictions or will bother their arse with quarantine?

It boils down to this - Two wrongs don’t make a right - Its a thing called responsibility. Giving the gubbermint the two fingers and going off on holiday as a selfless protest really doesn't wash.

And personally I've called for restrictions >both< ways. And yet I'm not insisting in my rights to go on holiday. And I feking love to go on holiday. But no I'm not going to be one of those eejits. And the rest of us have every right to call them out. Personally I'd give them jail time.

It's pathetic to see the number of grown adults foaming at the mouth blaming everyone else as an excuse to go for their annual dose of sun, sangria and stds.

faceman

gozunda wrote: »

No its not good. Asholes who think they know better sneaking North to fek off on their holliers to Playa del Tontos or wherever in the midst of a Pandemic.

Whats for sure- the UK will be closing that one down pronto - if only to keep eegits from taking the piss.

The Common Travel Area between UK and Ireland predates our current EU membership. Its in both countries interests to align any travel restrictions

And no its highly highly unlikely that "26 other EU states will have a travel policy aligned by the summer"

Tbh I really don't get it. You're in Spain which has had a horrendous level of infection and number of deaths and brought in draconian travel and regional restrictions and even mandated people wearing masks outdoors and yet here you are hoping another country fails whilst it
desperately trying to keep the lid on its rate of infection? What gives seriously?

I agree that for now holidays are off the table, however thats not a sustainable scenario as vaccination rates ramp up over the next few months and covid rates plummet.

While last year's summer season from an EU perspective was quite chaotic, this summer will be very different. Countries who rely on tourism won't allow another tourist season slip by so if the EU doesn’t get its act together, they'll go it alone. Some already are and the UK will be the catalyst as they are not bound by EU policy. Travel corridors will emerge. Whether they're drawn with crayons or drawn with ink is another matter.

Meanwhile Ireland is going to try keep a lid on things to see how winter goes and out of the scaremongering notion that new variants etc. On Newstalk today Leo even tabled a potential 4th lockdown.

All of this is speculation assuming a new wave doesn't emerge that is vax resistant.

Regarding Spain, there's no denying the horror the virus has taken here. Not all of Spain was treated equally however. But restrictions went from draconian blanket home confinement to playing with different restrictions, depending on what region you're in. Even now, some regions are setting rules for vaccines. Galicia has come out making vaccination mandatory punishable by a €60,000 fine if you dont take it. Mad stuff. It also says a lot about public perception when someone is more willing to take a chance telling porkie pies to a Garda than chance it with the Guardia Civil.

Spain has an excellent health service however. If Ireland had seen anything like what Spain has endured in wave 1 and wave 3, Ireland would have crumbled. Ireland on one hand has had no problem with gratuitous waiting lists, covering up cancer scandals, ignoring mental health issues and letting trolleys become the new hospital bed across the nation outside of Covid.

Does this make Ireland's choice or Spain's choice more or less right and wrong? Its not my place to say. We can have opinions but thats it.

However I dont think either country can claim a moral high ground. Ireland has thrown in the towel. No other EU country has.

Im most certainly not wishing doom or failure on Ireland's future, nor have I ever suggested anything of the sort. The Irish government has a massive credibility issue on their hands now that will impact public compliance. Its going to be very difficult to win that back, if they can at all. It pains me to say it but Leo is the only one offering some level of realistic dialogue on the future above any of the rest of the cabinet. Thats in-between his bad behaviour and laughing at the hospitality sector.

Ultimately you dont need a phd in infectious diseases if know that the more people are vaccinated, the less people are getting sick and presenting symptoms. We have preliminary evidence to show transmission is reduced when vaccinated. Hamming up the threat of new variants will only go so far when rates drop before the public realises that the threat of new variances with any virus is just 'business as usual' in public health.

Here's a final scary thought. Ireland does not have a proper public health function. Ireland has created no consultant public health contracts during the pandemic nor increased the public health budget. For roles advertised, doctors aren't applying. The system is broken. Despite the spend on health in Ireland, we spend very little on public health. Public health budget is smaller than some individual functions in hospitals.

But while everyone chats quarantine hotels, the bigger issues with the pandemic and public health get off scot free. Namely vaccines, Ireland's broken public health function (this is not the same as the health service) and inadequate contact tracing.

You and I dont always see eye to eye but you're a smart dude. Wrap this all up and who is protecting who here?

Potatoeman

The government have no idea how to justify essential travel. It’s fine to say it but there are so many consequences from it that are hard to foresee. It’s a great idea until you find out for example that the technicians needed to fix certain hospital equipment come over from the UK, and won’t incase they get stuck here. The same people calling for a full lockdown won’t be happy that their taxes double as a result either. Then you have flights becoming too expensive for essential workers that need to travel. There are no simple solutions.