Farm organisations can play big role in easing burden on elderly during crisis

THE FIRST case of coronavirus in Ireland was confirmed on February 29.

Now it seems like the past week has seen time speed up as Ireland is plunged into a state of crisis that looks set to get worse before it improves.

On February 29 I was out for dinner in Dublin, but I could already imagine how life was about to change considerably.

The reports and pictures from China of the state lockdowns to try contain the virus could only mean one thing when it reached our shores we would eventually face the same restrictions.

At the weekend I ate my dinner off a plate perched on the windowsill of my parents’ house.

The roast leg of lamb still tasted great, but the social distancing was strange. Yet social distancing and selfisolating are now part of our lingo.

Farmers may joke that they’ve been self-isolating for years, but the threat of coronavirus cannot be taken seriously enough.

Our farmers are, for the most part, elderly with 30pc over 65. A year shy of the pension, that is well into the over-60 age bracket the HSE warns is one of the most at-risk groups.

While the majority of cases to date are in Dublin and Cork, the onus is also on those in rural Ireland to ensure the spread of the virus is contained.

To do that, it’s essential that everyone plays their part.

It’s heartening to see some local groups, including the Gardai, start the drive to ensure that those most vulnerable in their communities are looked after.

Our farming organisations and the GAA could follow suit and ensure that necessary measures are being adhered to. They have a reach into rural Ireland that political parties can only dream about.

Together they can ensure that no elderly or vulnerable person in rural Ireland has to leave their home to buy groceries or daily essentials.

Our farming organisations and the GAA have a reach into rural Ireland that political parties can only dream about