Cabinet approves plans for 'significant reopening'
The Cabinet has formally approved plans to allow a “significant reopening” of the country from next week.
As expected, Ministers signed off on the reopening of hotels on June 2nd and the return of outdoor hospitality on June 7th. The Irish Times reports that cinemas are also expected to reopen on June 7th.
Indoor dining is set to return on July 5th. International travel will resume on July 19th when the Government adopts the European Union travel certificate.
This will allow passengers to travel throughout the EU without facing mandatory hotel quarantine on their return.
Throughout June and July, test matches and concerts will be held around the country.
Blanchardstown shooting accused remanded in custody
A 38-year-old man arrested after two Garda detectives were injured in a shooting in Dublin on Tuesday evening has been remanded in custody.
Daniel Goulding, who has been receiving psychiatric treatment for several years, was arrested following an exchange of gunfire and a two-hour siege at his family home at Whitechapel Grove, Clonsilla, Dublin 15.
The detectives were shot in the foot, one was wounded in the hand, and members of the public were exposed to the incident.
Mr Goulding did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody for one week after he appeared before Judge Gerard Jones at Blanchardstown District Court charged with five firearms offences.
Judge Jones noted there will be an objection to bail, but defence solicitor Tony Collier said an application was not being made at this stage.
'Unacceptable' level of family homelessness
Family homelessness remains at “unacceptable levels”, a leading homeless charity has said.
Focus Ireland said it was “deeply concerned” that the number of families entering homelessness at the end of April had increased.
It welcomed the recent debates about the housing sector but warned against treating the housing and homeless crisis as a series of unrelated crises requiring panic reactions.
The organisation added that a “joined-up”, consistent approach is required which recognises that families and individuals who are homeless are suffering the worst impact of the crisis and need to be at the heart of the solution.
It comes as more than 8,000 people were recorded as homeless, according to the latest Government figures.
Concerns over Indian variant
A public health expert has expressed concerns about the prevalence of the Indian Covid-19 variant in the UK as Ireland prepares to ease restrictions and return to international travel.
There were 72 cases of the variant in the Republic last week, but that figure may well be higher as the HSE cyberattack has had an impact on Covid figures.
Professor Ivan Perry, a public health, health at University College Cork, told breakingnews.ie: “We’re in a situation where we’re talking about opening up and what’s in the UK today is in Ireland tomorrow with travel. Opening up at a time when the reproductive rate is hovering around 1 and 1.1 and as we all know, any time when this is even a small bit above one you’re getting into exponential growth again. We’re still in a situation where no more than a quarter of the population are effectively vaccinated in terms of being two weeks after their second dose.
