Connacht Tribune
Phase 2 in full: All retailers allowed to open
People can move freely within their own county, and all retailers can reopen, under the new Phase 2 guidelines announced by the Taoiseach this afternoon.
The Cabinet has also agreed to bring forward actions in the remaining phases, so there will now be just four phases, rather than five. Phase 3 will be starting June 29th and Phase 4 on July 20th.
“I can confirm that it is safe to move to Phase 2 in the plan to reopen our country,” Mr Varadkar said.
“Covid-19 is still having a major impact on our country. By working together we have made progress – but the virus is still in Ireland.
“As we reopen our country, it is vital that we all continue to observe the public health guidance. To stay safe, you need to limit where you go and limit the number of people you meet.”
The five main guidelines for Phase 2 are:
Stay Local: You may travel within your own county, and up to 20 kilometres from your home if crossing county boundaries.
Meeting other people: You may meet up to 6 people from outside your household both indoors and outdoors for social gatherings. Organised outdoor exercise, sporting, cultural or social activities of up to 15 people may take place
Shops: All retail is reopening. Shop locally, shop safely and support businesses in your community. (Shopping centres can open on June 15)
Work from home: It is more important than ever to work from home where possible.
Transport: Walk or cycle if you can. Only use public transport if you absolutely need to. Public transport capacity is limited because of social distancing requirements.
Meanwhile, it has been announced that the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme and the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will be extended until the end of August.
Under Phase 2, the following advisories have been announced:
Community Health
It is recommenced that face coverings be worn in public places, such as shops, and on public transport. You may meet up to six people from outside your household both indoors and outdoors for social gatherings. Organised outdoor exercise, sporting, cultural or social activities of up to 15 people may take place. If you are over 70 or medically vulnerable be extra vigilant. Up to 25 immediate family and close friends may attend funeral services.
Children
Outdoor summer camps may operate for post-primary children.
Playgrounds and commercially-serviced outdoor amenities may reopen.
Economic activity and work
Working from home must continue wherever possible.
Marts may open where social distancing and hygiene can be maintained.
Retail, services and commercial activity
All retail outlets may open. Opening times and modes of operation may vary. Please co-operate with store staff and abide by systems put in place for your safety.
Cultural, sporting and social
Groups of up to 15, including trainers and coaches, may return to non-contact outdoor training activity (but not matches) while maintaining social distancing at all times.
Public Libraries will commence reopening.
Behind-closed-door horse and greyhound racing can commence.
Public Transport
Social distancing means that overall capacity remains extremely restricted. Use public transport only for essential journeys.
Wearing a face covering is recommended.
Avoid peak-time travel.
Walk or Cycle if possible.
International Travel
All non-essential overseas travel to and from Ireland should be avoided.
Passengers arriving from overseas are expected to self-isolate for 14 days.
Advice for those over 70 or the medically vulnerable
If you are over 70 or medically vulnerable, please use your judgement to decide how best to apply the following health guidance:
stay home as much as possible; you may welcome small numbers of people to your home, but maintain social distancing; for shopping, please use the times specially allotted by retailers; if you are visiting someone who is over 70 or medically vulnerable, please be extra-vigilant.
On June 29th, Phase 3 will commence and see the opening of hotels, restaurants, hotels, caravan parks, galleries and museums, and make it possible for bars that also operate as restaurants to be able to reopen.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
