NO HOLS THIS YEAR
public urged to follow government advice but tds slam cautious approach for getting back to normality
A HEALTH chief has advised the public against booking any holidays abroad this year.
Department of Health Secretary General Jim Breslin told the Oireachtas coronavirus committee last night people should still follow the State’s advice.
Government and Opposition TDS were both disappointed to hear the hopes of a trip away have now been dashed.
But Fine Gael’s Colm Brophy said we were being too strict about travelling overseas and with our harsh bans on tourists coming here.
He added: “It’s strange to see other countries that have been hit far worse lifting restrictions quicker.”
And Mr Brophy believes we are being hit doubly hard by the Government’s measures on travel, with harsh restrictions for anyone touching down here.
The Dublin TD feared “the message could go out on social media, ‘No point going to Ireland, it’s closed’”.
Meath East Sinn Fein TD, Darren O’rourke, said: “People are anxious to get away on their summer holidays, but what advice is coming from the department, will there be compulsory or mandatory self-isolation, what’s all this say to travellers, employees, businesses?”
Mr Breslin replied: “It’s important that people obey the advice of Government, that would include not booking or getting into any contractual arrangements.” Secretary General at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Niall Burgess, added: “As the health situation evolves in other countries, our travel advice will evolve as well.”
Mr Breslin gave his explanation for why the measures are so strict, adding:
“Passenger numbers are at around 1% of their usual volumes at the moment, but that may change.
“Other countries in the EU, many of whom had bans on non-essential travel, are reopening and allowing their citizens to travel. Airlines are restoring their flight
itineraries and are encouraging people to book trips.
“The right time to put special conditions on people who are proposing to travel is now.
“We need to maintain awareness that the danger has not passed, and that people are taking a risk of spreading the virus by engaging in non-essential travel.
“The advice of NPHET to the Health Minister on April 3 was that both the passenger locator form and a selfisolation for 14 days should become mandatory, and the Government has asked the Health Minister to examine the issue of a 14-day self-isolation period for people arriving in the State.
“This is being considered by several Government Departments and will be subject to further Government consideration. The WHO has said that the most plausible future scenario in the dynamic of Covid-19 may involve recurring epidemic waves interspersed with periods of low-level transmission.
“That is the context in which travel restrictions apply and continue to be reviewed.
“It is important that where travel needs to take place it does not pose significant risk to the wider public.”
Meanwhile, fears are growing many private bus companies involved in school transport will go out of business before children return to their classrooms.
It is claimed the Department of Transport is ignoring the sector which has been devastated by the knock-on effects of the pandemic.
Lee-anne Kierans of Kierans Bus Hire in Drogheda said they closed on March 12 and have not received a cent since.
She told LMFM: “We will have zero earnings until the schools return in September.
“As private operators we get nothing and we’re expected to get back on the road in September as normal.”