Alarm at ‘spill-over’ threat as cases surge in North

:: But no repeat of Nphet plea for Level 5

THE skyrocketing number of new Covid-19 cases in Northern Ireland is causing serious concern within the Government here.

There are fears of “spill-over” in the Republic where Level 3 restrictions were introduced this week to fight the spread of the coronavirus.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke yesterday about the escalating situation in the North as more than 900 new cases were recorded there.

The two leaders agreed a second lockdown in the North would have devastating economic consequences, but Mr Martin urged Mr Johnson to provide more resources for the Stormont Executive to deal with the pandemic.

Chief medical officer Tony Holohan is due to discuss the situation with his Northern Ireland counterpart, Michael McBride, today.

A senior Government source said they were “really worried about the North and spill-over”.

It comes as the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) insisted it still has “deep concerns” about the spread of the virus and said the situation had “deteriorated” since the group recommended a national lockdown on Sunday .

However, the group led by Dr Holohan did not recommend any further Covid restrictions – despite on Sunday advising that Level 5 restrictions be introduced for the entire country.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly revealed he was aware that Nphet might recommend tightening Covid-19 restrictions before it met on Sunday and proposed that the country enter Level 5.

A row has raged over who in Government knew what about the controversial recommendation, and when.

ONE of the country’s biggest leisure and hospitality businesses is suing the State for over €20m in lost earnings as a result of Covid-19 restrictions on pubs and restaurants.

If successful, the case could have significant implications for the Government’s response to businesses decimated by the pandemic.

Press Up Group, controlled by Paddy McKillen Jr and Matt Ryan, operates five hotels, 11 bars, 37 restaurants and two cinemas.

All of these businesses have been significantly affected either by having to close or operate under restrictions since the country went into lockdown last March.

In High Court proceedings initiated on Wednesday, the group argues the State has failed to make any adequate provision to compensate or indemnify its businesses for losses and interference with their property rights, in circumstances where the requirement to close was purported to be for the common good.

The action is being taken by Press Up Ltd and 17 associated companies against the Health Minister, the Finance Minister, Ireland and the Attorney General. The group is seeking to have the case entered on to the High Court’s fast-track commercial list.

In an affidavit, Mr Ryan said that if the current restrictions continued until the end of the year, the group’s turnover would decrease by €20.7m or 72pc on a like-for-like basis.

“The loss claimed as a result of the enactments will be in excess of €20m,” he said.

Mr Ryan said the group’s financial obligations to its suppliers, debt holders, landlords, employees and the Revenue all had to be satisfied, despite the law requiring that access to its premises be refused to the public.

He said following the initial lockdown in March, the group had to reduce employee numbers from 1,719 to just 159.

By the end of the initial lockdown period, by re-purposing and reopening certain venues for take-away and delivery, they were able to bring this back up to 1,437.

However, this has since been reduced again to 938 following the introduction of new regulations on September 19.

Press Up runs a range of hospitality businesses across Dublin, Cork and Westmeath.

The vast majority of these are in the capital, where its portfolio of bars, restaurants, hotels and cinemas includes The Workman’s Club, Elephant & Castle, The Stella Theatre and The Dean hotel.

The case is the third significant action to be taken against the State in connection with the pandemic.

A challenge by Ryanair to Government foreign travel advice was rejected by the High Court last week, while the same court threw out a challenge by political activists Gemma O’Doherty and John Waters to laws restricting freedom of movement in May.

The latest case puts the spotlight on the adequacy of the Government’s response to the plight of hospitality businesses. Although some €5bn has been allocated in various grants, loans and credit guarantees to help businesses with Covid-19 and Brexit costs, those schemes don’t compensate for loss of income.

Press Up is already embroiled in several legal cases against insurers and brokers over the non-payment of business interruption claims arising from the pandemic.

The group had to cut employee numbers from 1,719 to just 159