Neil Sands and team are doing a great job

A FEW weeks ago Neil Sands posted this Twitter message: ‘As an Irish business owner, I am willing to fly 2 doctors home to #ireland from anywhere abroad, and house them in Dublin for the next 12 weeks. Who’s with me? (please retweet) DM me if you know someone interested. Thank you #irelandvscovid #coronavirus.’

Let’s say, it went viral and in the weeks since a whole worldwide campaign has taken off with flights coming in with health professionals from all over the world, answering Ireland’s Call and returning home.

Neil’s plan from the very start was to make sure we would not run short of doctors and nurses as others developed COVID-19 and that has certainly been a key to the fight so far.

Neil, from Termonfeckin, got great backing from other business groups to help organise an incredible airlift of people and goods.

The likes of Maynooth University has assisted with housing those who have come home while a mask machine is also coming that means we can become self sufficient when it comes to make them, meaning people will be able to access them much more quickly and easily.

Every aspect of this fight has been exceptional and the volunteering effort to get so many people home - and its ongoing - has defied belief at times.

I would have to commend Neil for his foresight and a ‘ let’s do this’ attitude that is needed in times like this.

Many will recall his grandfather, the great union official Peter Sands from Dromin, another man who gave so much for others in his lifetime.

I have no doubt he’s looking down, pretty proud of the young lad....