NO FLIGHTS OF FANCY FROM CANNY LEO

LEO Varadkar may be tempted to wait and pass responsibility to Micheál Martin on the vexed issue of the 14-day quarantine demand for people coming into the country.

The airline industry wants the ban to be lifted before July 1 because it would help Ryanair and Aer Lingus in particular to sell more flights out of the country. That’s where the business opportunity lies, not in persuading tourists to come to a partially open country.

Irish people who fly to foreign sun-spots will want to be free upon return to go about their normal business.

Much of those calling for the recommendations to be implemented have economic self-interest in mind – with the airports, aircraft maintenance firms and trade unions representing workers all on board.

But Chief Medical Officer Dr

Tony Holohan (inset) is consistent about many things. He didn’t want the hairdressers to open too soon, he is worried about the under-35s partying too soon, and he is most especially against unnecessary foreign travel. He can point to the resurgence of Covid-19 in Germany not being solely down to the close proximity of workers in meat factories, but also due to the fact that many of these workers had travelled in large groups back to Germany from eastern Europe. He can also highlight how the EU is not going to let people fly from the US for the foreseeable future. Is this a health risk we are prepared to take to boost economy? It’s not hard to see, collective responsibility notwithstanding if he is part of a new government, how Varadkar might let a decision on this one wait until next week.