Hope is rising but the final reckoning awaits us still

Limits on how far we can travel from home may be lifted three weeks early Senior government figures are optimistic the roadmap can be accelerated if promising signs are backed up by data, writes

THE Government is considering accelerating the reopening of the country, including scrapping limits on how far people can travel from home three weeks early. Museums, galleries, hairdressers and other amenities could also reopen by the end of June, while hotels could be allowed to operate with limited occupancies subject to the spread of Covid-19 remaining suppressed.

The current 5km limit on travel is expected to be replaced by a new 20km limit from Monday week, but the Government is now considering if this could be allowed to expire from June 29, three weeks earlier than envisaged under the current roadmap.

Senior government figures are optimistic that the roadmap can be accelerated in the coming weeks, but caution that decisions will be guided by data, including hospital and ICU admissions numbers.

It comes amid growing political and economic pressure to reopen the country as soon as possible. Business lobby group Ibec has called for all businesses to be allowed to reopen from next month and for the two-metre physical distancing rule to be reduced to one-metre.

Fianna Fail now believes there is no logic or scientific basis for the 5km or 20km limits, while one of its senior TDs, Jim O’Callaghan, told the Sunday Independent: “I think we need to set the end of June as the goal for our restrictions to be lifted”.

Senior government sources have confirmed that acceleration of the roadmap is being considered. This includes allowing businesses that are currently prevented from reopening until July 20 (phase four) reopening from June 29 (phase three). This would apply to hairdressers, barbers, museums, galleries and amenities such as swimming pools.

Those involved in the planning cite the fact that creches and childcare facilities will now reopen from June 29, three weeks earlier than set out in the roadmap. They also point to the resumption of horse racing on June 8 — three weeks earlier than initial guidelines stipulated.

On removing the limits on travel from home, a senior source said: “One of the most helpful things you can do is drop the 20km limit and that allows everyone in Ireland to see their mum or dad or granny and grandad while socially distanced. It will be a great thing to do.”

Hotels may also be allowed to reopen with limited occupancies from June 29. “It is possible if the virus is under control but it’s not guaranteed you could see people getting to take a holiday in Ireland before the end of the summer season,” the source said.

In a significant move last week, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, who is hoping to become Taoiseach as early as next month, heavily criticised the current limits on travel. “The research shows that this limit may be forcing people in urban areas into more crowded situations,” Mr Martin said in the Dail. “This also applies to the 20km rule, which is envisaged to replace the 5km rule. I do not see a logic or scientific basis for it. I believe we must deal with that more expeditiously.”

Martin’s view is the party position, but a number of his senior TDs have gone further, including Mr O’Callaghan, who said: “I don’t see us having a situation where you can have large crowds locked into a pub or nightclub or at sporting events, but aside from that, we need to get back to normality.

“We’ve done a good job of reducing the level of disease in the community and now we need to prioritise young people and people’s mental health. August 10 -is too late, we need to bring it forward.”

Fianna Fail health spokesman Stephen Donnelly said the Government should no longer solely rely on public health advice when it comes to lifting restrictions, “particularly now the surge is over”.

He added: “We do feel the government needs a separate group of people with economics, commerce, and psychology backgrounds so that there is a broader set of expert input going in.

“People are beginning to say there is a really serious cost to maintaining these restrictions, we need to understand the full cost and it is the role of the government to weigh up these costs. I do believe the public health officials have steered us well... but at the same time, we should be free to challenge that advice.”

Senior Fine Gael figures believe their civil war rivals are attempting to assert themselves ahead of the formation of a new government, which both parties are hopeful can happen in June. “It’s a little cynical, they see the progress being made, know it’s likely we’ll have further easing in just over a week so best to call for it,” said one.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar warned colleagues to hold the line on public health messaging at the Cabinet meeting on Friday after some ministers openly called for the physical distancing guidelines to be reduced from two metres to one metre. Mr Varadkar issued what was described as a “reprimand” to Ministers Michael Ring and Finian McGrath after they publicly called for one metre.

However, it is now expected that the two metre rule will be relaxed as the country reopens. Mr Varadkar said on Friday “there’s a good chance” it can be reduced to one. “We just need to see the virus come down a bit more. We’re not at that point yet,” he told FM104.