Dr Leo and Dr Tony lead from the front but common sense is not all that common

LEO, we never knew you. But we do now. I wrote scathingly of him here when he was minister for health. I was of the opinion he was a doctor who wouldn’t cross his own. I was wrong. Our Taoiseach is a war-time prime minister who has found his voice. His words have won us over. For the first time ever, we have a politician who answers, “I don’t know”.

It seemed to me that the Taoiseach listened too much to his advisers and didn’t follow his heart during the election in February.

My theory is doctors are trained to deliver their news in a calm and slightly detached way. The everyday for them often signifies a life-changing moment for the rest of us.

With the weight of trying to win an election taken from him, the Taoiseach showed us who he really was. He shed the guarded talk and spoke from the heart. Leo won us over by the very simple expediency of telling it how it was.

It is only a few short months ago that the people rejected him and his government. The Greens had better watch out. Leo will increase his vote and then some if we have an election.

I have often noticed over the years there are times when politicians can do no wrong. He is there right now. During the election campaign, Sinn Féin was the most impressive on television. In a way it is a pity some of that intellect was not put to positive use in government. So often in politics the best Irish team is never picked. Back in February, Sinn Féin could do no wrong.

Now there is a sense that Sinn Féin has difficulty in differentiating between opportunity and opportunism.

The Taoiseach does care about us. I was won over when he said it would be very difficult for pubs to survive on the two-metres distancing rules. Just to hear that was enough.

Dr Tony has proven common sense is the new genius. The only problem is common sense is far from common.

This week about a thousand researchers and colleagues of Doctors Holohan and Varadkar pronounced that the Government ended lockdown too soon. Holohan and Varadkar stood firm. They knew a balance had to be struck. There is no 100pc safe time to reopen Ireland.

I am sure the 1,000 meant well and worked hard during the worst days of Covid but I believe we are at breaking point.

The 1,000 were naive as to how businesses work. Lockdown, they said, would be for weeks, not months. Weeks could be up to seven weeks. Their language was imprecise and vague.

I spoke to several GPs. One GP in the east described the mental health situation as “horrendous”. I do not have the exact figures but suicide rates have gone up alarmingly. Cancer deaths are also on the up. In seven weeks, more businesses will have gone to the wall and our seniors will have to endure further heartbreak and isolation.

Do the 1,000 have any idea what it is like to have your door closed for months on end and you have no great back-up funds? There are many studies which show a link between serious illness and financial pressure.

The Taoiseach had to look at the health of our economy. His was a holistic approach. Leo knew well he would be photographed when he went out sunbathing with his friends. He was sending out a message.

The 1,000 will be proved right. It seems there will be a second wave.

But what if we stayed closed for another six or seven weeks? Would that mean the virus would never come back again when our country opens up?

The Taoiseach put his career on the line. He too is a doctor, and a doctor who is a Taoiseach.

The virus will most likely return in the winter. This is high summer. The longest day is only days away. We needed to breathe for a while. Take care, yes.

My heart lifted when I heard us non-food-serving pubs are allowed to open on July 20. The people of Ireland needed a break from the unrelenting, unremitting prison sentence that is lockdown.

The prisons have been relatively quiet. Maybe the inmates know that the rest of us realise now just how tough it can be to be cut off from family and friends.

Covid is tougher on those who live in cities. The kids outside of Dublin city centre have more opportunities for play. It’s tough on the kids everywhere. Too tough at times.

I was in Dublin city centre yesterday and Listowel was busier. It’s alright to shop and try to shop in shops or on Irish internet sites linked to shops.

I have heard stories this morning of massive home holiday hotel bookings. The hotels are opening for business and the people of Ireland have responded patriotically. We own one of the most beautiful, classy and friendly holiday destinations anywhere in the world.

The 1,000 didn’t see the man who improvised on the Merrion Road. He pressed the button to stop the traffic with the tip of his umbrella. The people are learning and we are a lot more savvy than we were back in March.

I hope the hairdressers open sooner than planned. This will be a huge morale boost for women and men too. My hair defies gravity. It grows up.

I love the long hair on women. Back in the days of kissing you could end up with a mouthful of hair.

It used to be that pubs did after-hours. Now there are dangerous hairdressing lock-ins.

Kerry footballer Kieran Donaghy is shorn to the bone and I’m a poodle.

Inspired Tralee cares for young people with intellectual disabilities from Kerry and beyond. The students are trained to go in to the workplace. Inspired has to move premises due to Covid as its present HQ will only be able to cater for three or four students.

Please donate to this worthy cause by going to the Inspired Tralee Facebook page (or direct to Inspired Tralee on iDonate). Post your dramatic hair-dos and follow the link to donate.

I nominated my brother John and Johnny Sexton. This is the first they have heard about their support for Inspired Tralee. I choose carefully. Their mothers were and are hairdressers.

The virus will most likely return in the winter. This is high summer. We needed to breathe for a while. Take care, yes.