Relaxation of Restrictions, Part IX *Read OP For Mod Warnings*

smeal

I noticed two checkpoints on the same stretch of road going inbound on Friday evening at 5.30pm . Seem to be permanent as they were both there this morning also (waving everyone on btw and standing at the side of the road chatting while a tail back was the whole way to the m50 exit)

My thoughts at the time on Friday were would it not make more sense to put them outbound at that time of the evening on a weekend? People heading off up and down the country for non essential visits and walks to forests/beaches out of the city. Seems to be a total waste of resources in the 5km campaign.

The whole thing is backwards.

AlekSmart

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Colm Henry on NT is stumbling his way through an interview at the moment, desperately trying to spin positives from the mess they've made of the vaccination program.

He then says they aren't tracing maybe 30% of cases when questioned about the reports of poor infrastructure behind it all and that lockdown is their only way to deal with this.

There you have it.. We are in ongoing lockdown because Colm and his colleagues haven't been able to get their internal processes and resources in order after a year and despite an unlimited pot of cash.

First question for the post-pandemic tribunal : what DID you spend the money on then??

Some of us might say the ONLY question for a tribunal.....

However some of the early results are in the public domain.

http://www.clare.fm/news/coronavirus/ennis-company-emerges-largest-irish-provider-ppe-hse/

EKO Integrated Services Ltd – which employs 12 people – received €93.5m for PPE and €8.7m for equipment.
The monies received by secondary PPE supplier, EKO is more than three times than what was paid to the next Irish based company for PPE.
As EKO is a secondary supplier, the vast bulk of the monies paid by the HSE to EKO would be forwarded onto the producer of the PPE in China.
EKO Integrated Service is led by Clare man, Eugene Keane whose business background is building houses.

I admit to a small smile upon seeing the "building houses" bit

Ennis,Co Clare is quite the Covid Response Hub,by all accounts.....

https://www.clareecho.ie/aircraft-company-owned-by-ennis-man-aiming-to-fly-70-tonnes-of-ppe-to-ireland/

Fair play to Mr Slattery,he is at least upfront on the realities of dealing with Chinese entrepreneurs....

Question marks had previously been raised of the quality of PPE being flown into Ireland from China. The NUIG graduate admitted, “We know nothing about PPE and the procurement thereof. There was a lot of coverage over the last weekend over the quality of a lot of the stuff coming in, over the last few days in China we worked really hard with our team to make sure our cargo that we acquired and procured had all of the necessary quality stamps but you never know until you get here.

Given that much of the HSE spending has been covered by the "Public Health Emergency" sticker,which it seems,by passes the standard regulations on Tendering and Procurement,we can see at least some evidence of lads being "in the right place,at the right time " ?

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/health-pharma/hse-paid-enfer-122-4m-to-process-covid-tests-last-year-1.4507934

Enfer, the Tipperary diagnostics company controlled by businessman Louis Ronan, was last year paid €122.4 million to process Covid-19 tests.

New figures provided by the HSE show the executive’s spend on Covid-19 “test and tracing” last year totalled €280.48 million. It carried out 2.4 million Covid-19 tests.

Clonmel-based Enfer processed the Covid-19 tests from its Kildare labs on behalf of the National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL), which is led by Dr Cillian de Gascun.

The NVRL was last year paid €11.95 million for its central role in the testing regime, the HSE figures show.

Laboratory firm Eurofins Biomnis was paid €15 million to process Covid-19 tests.

A further €40.73 million was paid out for “acute hospital testing” while €52.55 million was spent on equipment and reagent.

I was particularly taken with the coverage of the Finsa Site...there are some really nicely crafted quotes in this article...

https://clarechampion.ie/former-east-clare-factory-stores-large-volumes-of-ppe/

Deputy Michael McNamara has visited the site of the old Finsa Forest Products factory in Scariff where he has witnessed the storage of a huge amount of PPP in an upgraded warehouse facility.

Acknowledging the HSE has a number of storage facilities for PPE, Deputy McNamara said the amount of PPE in Finsa is enough to supply the needs of the whole country for 50 days.

“PPE is by its nature flammable. Manufacturing ceased on the Finsa site in :eek: December 2010 :eek:. For a short period afterwards, a number of sales staff were retained on site before they were moved.

“

The site has essentially being lying idle and deteriorating for seven or eight years when there has been no employment and nothing happening there.

“It affects the morale of a town when an industrial estate is deteriorating. I am not suggesting it is a magic bullet but it is better than nothing to have works carried out on the site to stop it deteriorating.”

Perhaps the rural press have a somewhat clearer perspective on all of this than the MSM..either way,it proves that ALL Politics is Local

Anyway,most folks will search for the BIG numbers,as in...

Separately, the HSE FOI unit has confirmed that the value of orders made for Covid-19 PPE last year totalled €859 million.

Ah shur,that's not TOO bad Ted......is it ?

Seanachai

BlaktainPicard wrote: »

Drunk on power.
Surely common sense should prevail ?

If their superiors have decided to ramp it up a notch there's not much they can do I suppose. Antagonising people who aren't doing any harm and who are at the end of their tether is only going to backfire though.

Hooked

SAMTALK wrote: »

Why the agression ?

It's a medical appointment so won't be an issue

Because... going on personal experience - many members of the Gardaí like to throw their weight about the place - Covid related or not...

It seems to be 'par for the course' at Covid-19 checkpoints! Certainly the ones I've been stopped at.

Hooked

BlaktainPicard wrote: »

So if I am visiting a grave, do I need to print a letter stating I am visiting a grave ??

Well, I don't have the exact answer to that one... But - as per the "gov.ie" exemption, you are allowed to "visit a grave".

And going by the letter of the law (that actual criminals manage to circumvent on the daily) you have said that you are visiting "a" grave - so it's up to the garda, or the courts, to disprove it.

Innocent until proven guilty - is that the saying?

Or maybe they plan on exhuming the bodies to question it?

suicide_circus

https://mobile.twitter.com/paulmurphy_TD/status/1373724981402689545


On Paul Murphy, this pandemic is a boon for him and his ilk.

He wants a big authoritarian state in control of people's lives, making people dependant on the state for the food on their table and the roof over their heads for years to come, an ever increasing beurocracy, crushing businesses and entrepreneurs. Deference to technocrats. The impending financial crisis and resulting slashing of services will drive more votes his way.

Enemy of the people.

SAMTALK

Hooked wrote: »

Because... going on personal experience - many members of the Gardaí like to throw their weight about the place - Covid related or not...

It seems to be 'par for the course' at Covid-19 checkpoints! Certainly the ones I've been stopped at.

You must be very unfortunate.
I travel to work daily and have been stopped at various checkpoints without any throwing of weight , just a polite question answered in a polite manner.

Hopefully the 5km restrictions are lifted in April. Them garda check points are a pain in the a$s. Most people i know arent even sticking to that 5km rule.

scamalert

SAMTALK wrote: »

Why the agression ?

It's a medical appointment so won't be an issue

keeping a cool head goes long ways, over the last 4 months had to commute daily to Dub for work, hour one way isnt most pleasant trip but add checkpoints and there were days where i was litterally bashing my head against the steering wheel being stuck in traffic for an hour on motorway exit joke, just to get to checkpoint to be waved away.


not into much talk when got stopped few times so either from work etc end of story, and thats even b4 having any letter from job, anyhow one time was like wanna see a letter on top and was just waived trough, was told no need for it.


anyhow lesson in those months learned the guards hate standing 7-8 hours checking your tax discs or just waiving people off as much as people get angry its not their call to be there so no point in getting mad at a guards. as long as you have legit reason and dont take the pi$$ out of them its few words and be safe on your way at most.
if anything its ejjits above in the government that pull this crap and request the **** show to be made that is the issue.


that said people do need to stand up to this still ongoing joke, and think best done by sending letter to local gardai HQ to stop taking the crap with this nonsense.
as said before theres no valid reason for them to be on the roads between 7-10 and 3-5 causing people more stress as many still have jobs they have to be doing physically and we dont live in a utopia where everyone can just fck off and live on PUP or slave away from comforts of the home.

Hooked

Deleted User wrote: »

Hopefully the 5km restrictions are lifted in April. Them garda check points are a pain in the a$s. Most people i know arent even sticking to that 5km rule.

Having just sat outside a local petrol station, beside a Supermacs... watching people come and go from both places - as well as coffees being bought every 60 seconds at a local cafe... you have to wonder the absolute LUNACY that has the 5km restriction in place.

Queuing indoors with tens of others... that's grand.

Taking a scenic trip in your car with the same family that you live with... oh JESUS NO!


Don't get me started on the waste of Garda resources...

SAMTALK

scamalert wrote: »

keeping a cool head goes long ways, over the last 4 months had to commute daily to Dub for work, hour one way isnt most pleasant trip but add checkpoints and there were days where i was litterally bashing my head against the steering wheel being stuck in traffic for an hour on motorway exit joke, just to get to checkpoint to be waved away.


not into much talk when got stopped few times so either from work etc end of story, and thats even b4 having any letter from job, anyhow one time was like wanna see a letter on top and was just waived trough, was told no need for it.


anyhow lesson in those months learned the guards hate standing 7-8 hours checking your tax discs or just waiving people off as much as people get angry its not their call to be there so no point in getting mad at a guards. as long as you have legit reason and dont take the pi$$ out of them its few words and be safe on your way at most.
if anything its ejjits above in the government that pull this crap and request the **** show to be made that is the issue.


that said people do need to stand up to this still ongoing joke, and think best done by sending letter to local gardai HQ to stop taking the crap with this nonsense.
as said before theres no valid reason for them to be on the roads between 7-10 and 3-5 causing people more stress as many still have jobs they have to be doing physically and we dont live in a utopia where everyone can just fck off and live on PUP or slave away from comforts of the home.

Annoying as hell being stopped and asked the same question , but they are only doing their job and anyone giving them undeserved abuse should be ashamed of themselves.

These are not the people who put the rules in place they are just doing their job

Hooked

Hooked wrote: »

Having just sat outside a local petrol station, beside a Supermacs... watching people come and go from both places - as well as coffees being bought every 60 seconds at a local cafe... you have to wonder the absolute LUNACY that has the 5km restriction in place.

Queuing indoors with tens of others... that's grand.

Taking a scenic trip in your car with the same family that you live with... oh JESUS NO!


Don't get me started on the waste of Garda resources...

5km restriction is absolute lunacy. You love to know who came up with this. Was down in Clontarf at the weekend and the place was crazy. St Annes Park was packed too. Need to lift that 5km restriction and let people travel anywhere they want without being stopped by ridiculous garda check points

scamalert

SAMTALK wrote: »

Annoying as hell being stopped and asked the same question , but they are only doing their job and anyone giving them undeserved abuse should be ashamed of themselves.

These are not the people who put the rules in place they are just doing their job

my point exactly this crap trickles from bosses up top and goverment bodies, so not their fault.


but as other user said somehow idiots up top decided that outdoor activities, be it hiking visiting parks etc pose higher risk, then being in stores, or ques with dozens of people is better :cool:


someone who can and want to go to country side or sea etc, pose no harm, yet its made up **** how people are at risk from it that makes 0 sense to even have such restrictions to begin with that drives many mad, as in what fck does it matter if someone wants to go to parks, mountains, they pose 0 to fck all risk, sure they might stop for a meal or petrol, not even remotely more dangerous then going to your local station where hundreds pass each day anyway.

BlaktainPicard

suicide_circus wrote: »

https://mobile.twitter.com/paulmurphy_TD/status/1373724981402689545


On Paul Murphy, this pandemic is a boon for him and his ilk.

He wants a big authoritarian state in control of people's lives, making people dependant on the state for the food on their table and the roof over their heads for years to come, an ever increasing beurocracy, crushing businesses and entrepreneurs. Deference to technocrats. The impending financial crisis and resulting slashing of services will drive more votes his way.

Enemy of the people.

A sociopathic criminal scumbag.
No surprise he is involved with that vile crowd "People before Profit"

AlekSmart

Graham wrote: »

Step 1) enforce the restrictions.

That's it.

Can you expand a little on this "enforcement" you seek ?

Bearing in mind that the population of the Republic is hovering around 4,700,000.

Total Covid-19 cases to date are 230,599.

Total Covid related Deaths to date are 4,587.

I am quite interested in the mechanics of "enforcing" the restrictive elements of Temporary Emergency Legislation,upon some 4,400,000 other people using the existing available Legislation ?

Penfailed

pwiss wrote: »

Oh no the Swiss are going to extend their lockdown beyond the 22nd of March:

swissinfo. ch/eng/government-postpones-further-relaxation-of-covid-19-restrictions-/46462128

Wait even during their lockdown they allow household gathering of up to 10 people. When are people in Ireland going to wake up? Our restrictions are inhumane at this stage.

Ahem. They're not extending their lockdown. They're postponing further relaxation of restrictions. They're not in lockdown currently.

SAMTALK

scamalert wrote: »

my point exactly this crap trickles from bosses up top and goverment bodies, so not their fault.


but as other user said somehow idiots up top decided that outdoor activities, be it hiking visiting parks etc pose higher risk, then being in stores, or ques with dozens of people is better :cool:


someone who can and want to go to country side or sea etc, pose no harm, yet its made up **** how people are at risk from it that makes 0 sense to even have such restrictions to begin with that drives many mad, as in what fck does it matter if someone wants to go to parks, mountains, they pose 0 to fck all risk, sure they might stop for a meal or petrol, not even remotely more dangerous then going to your local station where hundreds pass each day anyway.

It's very hard to get it right, but in fairness from what I see on the roads people just seem to be on the roads way more than this time last year.

Are more business open ? are people just ignoring the 5k?
In my area I see individual houses being built , people out and about and traffic back to near normal levels

Boggles

BlaktainPicard wrote: »

A sociopathic criminal scumbag.

Paul Murphy?

I'd say if he saw his own blood he'd faint.

11521323

AlekSmart wrote: »

Can you expand a little on this "enforcement" you seek ?

Bearing in mind that the population of the Republic is hovering around 4,700,000.

Total Covid-19 cases to date are 230,599.

Total Covid related Deaths to date are 4,587.

I am quite interested in the mechanics of "enforcing" the restrictive elements of Temporary Emergency Legislation,upon some 4,400,000 other people using the existing available Legislation ?

Hmmm, is there anything to be said for creating a new police force who's sole mandate is the physical enforcement of government orders? I feel like I've read about something similar inplemented before in a different country in the 1940s but for the life of me I can't recall any details...

Hooked

Deleted User wrote: »

5km restriction is absolute lunacy. You love to know who came up with this. Was down in Clontarf at the weekend and the place was crazy. St Annes Park was packed too. Need to lift that 5km restriction and let people travel anywhere they want without being stopped by ridiculous garda check points

Exactly.. I think we all know at this stage to "keep our distance" when we get to our destination. Be it a beach, a park, or just a scenic drive to get out of the house...

The 5k is beyond laughable a year on...

facehugger99

Deleted User wrote: »

It’s perfectly possible that Paul is a moron. He’s certainly a fool to be peddling far left nonsense for years, but he could also be a moron.

It’s just as likely, however, that he and the Shinners are egging on the lockdown, and in fact wanting to go even further, because they know that it will leave the country in cinders, socially and economically. The losers will be the young and the low earners. In their bitterness and despair they will vote for the far left.

In a few years Ireland could well resemble Cuba or Venezuela. I live in the Middle East with two young kids. My game plan was to move back to Ireland within the next 5 years to raise them there. I bought a house and all with the aim of settling down in a nice community.

I think I miscalculated.

There is a handy shortcut I discovered that saved having to do extensive research on multiple topics.

Just establish what view Murphy holds on a chosen topic and then you can take the opposite viewpoint, safe in the knowledge that you are almost certainly morally and factually correct.

The guy is an absolute buffoon. The fact he continues to attract enough votes to get elected is another damning indictment on the intelligence of the electorate.

scamalert

SAMTALK wrote: »

It's very hard to get it right, but in fairness from what I see on the roads people just seem to be on the roads way more than this time last year.

Are more business open ? are people just ignoring the 5k?
In my area I see individual houses being built , people out and about and traffic back to near normal levels

well honestly what do you expect, 1yr stay within 5km range, no one would survive that mentally.


in my job i would have people coming over to work in an office just to get out of routine, specially in dub where most are trapped in apartment hell.


there was barely much of slowdown in traffic from Nov until now, sure gov decided to close schools and constructions which made a lot less traffic but as far as commuters go from Dub city its been mostly the same, people that need work, and can work will still do that. I guess theres small number that would wish for this to be permanent as long as they get their pup sorted, but not all of us are complete wasters to just rely on advise which makes 0 sense, and where not even remotely better off then a year back, to follow blind decisions.

TonyMaloney

Here's our mobility data from October through to today.
As you can quite clearly see, our mobility levels are creeping upwards but we're still comfortably less mobile than we were for most of October and November.

There's a lot you can't tell with mobility data - I've no idea if there is a dramatic increase in households mixing in parks for instance.
But with metrics like public-transport usage, it's obvious that the vast majority of people are still broadly adhering to the restrictions.

The idea that everyone has thrown in the towel is false.

the kelt

facehugger99 wrote: »

There is a handy shortcut I discovered that saved having to do extensive research on multiple topics.

Just establish what view Murphy holds on a chosen topic and then you can take the opposite viewpoint, safe in the knowledge that you are almost certainly morally and factually correct.

The guy is an absolute buffoon. The fact he continues to attract enough votes to get elected is another damning indictment on the intelligence of the electorate.

Funnily enough i tend to take the same approach with the likes of Paul Murphy

SAMTALK

scamalert wrote: »

well honestly what do you expect, 1yr stay within 5km range, no one would survive that mentally.


in my job i would have people coming over to work in an office just to get out of routine, specially in dub where most are trapped in apartment hell.


there was barely much of slowdown in traffic from Nov until now, sure gov decided to close schools and constructions which made a lot less traffic but as far as commuters go from Dub city its been mostly the same, people that need work, and can work will still do that. I guess theres small number that would wish for this to be permanent as long as they get their pup sorted, but not all of us are complete wasters to just rely on advise which makes 0 sense, and where not even remotely better off then a year back, to follow blind decisions.

Did I say I expected it ?

I merely asked why the change in traffic and movement of people seen as we are supposed to be in level 5 which last year saw roads practically empty.

I understand that people have had enough at this stage, we all have,

The other side is that as long as we say we have enough and will meet up , move beyond our 5k we must also accept that the restrictions will not be lifted anytime soon.

Micky 32

Captain_Crash wrote: »

Well strictly speaking a guard can ask what you had for breakfast and if your happy in your marriage if they want... it doesn’t mean you have to answer!

We all understand they have a difficult job to do but if a guard asks, you are within your rights to politely decline to inform them! It’s important for guards to understand that we as people know our obligations

I have to say my experience with the gards have been positive. The 5km for most part doesn’t apply to me due to my work. I drive 1k -1.5k a week and since the begining gone through quite a few checkpoints. I get the “ purpose of your journey” i tell them and it’s “ no problem go ahead”. They are always pleasant and never even asked for proof.

My partner lives 10km away from me. They regularly have checkpoints in her village. I tell them I’m visiting my partner and always get the “ no problem go ahead”.

Now she lives alone so she would qualify for the support bubble anyway but the gard never asks for details so for all he/she knows there could be 20 people in the house.

Hooked

Hooked wrote: »

Exactly.. I think we all know at this stage to "keep our distance" when we get to our destination. Be it a beach, a park, or just a scenic drive to get out of the house...

The 5k is beyond laughable a year on...

Sweden are falling down the death charts lately, and their initial poor performance was due to moving patients from hospitals to nursing homes as we did. Their ICU capacity per million was very similar to ours and is now nearly double as they actually increased it. They have sensible guidelines that are at least as effective as the nonsense our nanny state is foisting on us.

People know what precautions to take. The 5K is an insult at this point. Many non essential businesses could be safely open. Schools are clear vectors of transmission. Cases have started ticking up now due to them being open.

Masks clearly don't work - I wear them but they clearly are useless. Otherwise we would have halted COVID in it's tracks by now.

Certain high risk industries such as meat plants should be shut. Essential my arse, we can import meat or eat vegetables. Construction should be open.

We are heading for economic health and societal collapse that will dwarf COVID and no one cares.

LameBeaver

Deleted User wrote: »

5km restriction is absolute lunacy. You love to know who came up with this. Was down in Clontarf at the weekend and the place was crazy. St Annes Park was packed too. Need to lift that 5km restriction and let people travel anywhere they want without being stopped by ridiculous garda check points

Totally wide of the mark chief. Time for a 2km limit and night curfews to be implemented and the army/Gardai and any other forces required to enforce it with zero tolerance.

SAMTALK

SAMTALK wrote: »

Did I say I expected it ?

I merely asked why the change in traffic and movement of people seen as we are supposed to be in level 5 which last year saw roads practically empty.

I understand that people have had enough at this stage, we all have,

The other side is that as long as we say we have enough and will meet up , move beyond our 5k we must also accept that the restrictions will not be lifted anytime soon.

I drove 3/4 the way from Cork to Dublin and back this weekend on an essential journey and the motorway and roads were practically deserted. One car every 20 minutes or so. This is way less than before. I don't know where you live but if it's Dublin then that explains a lot as Dublin is the main driver of COVID in Ireland right now (apart from a few counties with meat plants)

facehugger99

LameBeaver wrote: »

Totally wide of the mark chief. Time for a 2km limit and night curfews to be implemented and the army /Gardai to enforce it with zero tolerance.

2/10