Tag Archives: restrictions

THE majority of Covid-19 restrictions are being lifted from tomorrow morning, the Taoiseach has announced this evening. Pubs and restaurants are being permitted to return to normal opening hours from tomorrow, with the 8pm closing time being axed. Social distancing requirements are also being dropped as is the requirement for vaccine certificates, although mask wearing will remain in place for the coming weeks at least. Limits on numbers attending both indoor and outdoor events are also being scrapped. Earlier this week 5,000 tickets for this Sunday’s Clare and Limerick senior hurling tie were sold, but the door is now open for more to be made available. “It is time to be ourselves again,” said the Taoiseach this evening, as people received the most positive news on Covid-19 since the pandemic began. Pubs around the county are set for their busiest weekend for some time, while it seems that finally normality will resume to most aspects of life.

AN Ennis hair and beauty salon expects to see 200 people in its first week back trading following a relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions across the country. Monday saw the return of hairdressers and other personal services, alongside other measures including the phased reopening of retail and the resumption of religious services in churches. Bridget Haren Hair and Beauty Salon on Woodquay opened at 9.30am on Monday to welcome its first clients in months, with staff on site since 8am busily preparing to ensure everything was in place. Perspex screens, mask wearing and sanitiser is the new normal when it comes to getting a hair-cut. Bridget told The Champion, “It’s going great so far, there’s a good buzz and everybody is really happy and delighted that Ennis is opening back up again. “It’s great for everybody and next week we’ll have the retailers joining us in bringing a lot more atmosphere to the town. “Everything is by appointments only and we …

BISHOP of Killaloe, Fintan Monahan is appealing to the public to avoid congregating around funeral ceremonies, outside churches and at cemeteries. Bishop Monahan said that following conversations with priests and people around the Diocese in recent weeks, he had learned of serious health and safety concerns about the number of people gathering after funeral ceremonies in church and also at burial ceremonies. “Whilst it is such a positive and deeply ingrained aspect of our culture in Ireland to gather and offer condolences to the bereaved family, unfortunately due to the highly contagious nature of the coronavirus it is still not safe to do so,” he said. “While being sensitive to the needs of mourners for care and compassion at such a difficult time, many priests have expressed deep concern for the wellbeing of parishioners gathering in such a manner and I share that concern.” The Catholic bishop said that at the start of the pandemic, mourners and families have been …

Two months after the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed, Clare now has a total of 229 positive cases.. However, despite a rise of 17 cases in the latest figures, Clare still remains one of the counties with the lowest incidences of the virus. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre revealed today that a total of 59 people with Covid-19 have died, of which 45 were laboratory confirmed. There have now been a total of 1,159 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland. As of 11am Tuesday,, the HPSC has been notified of 229 new confirmed cases of the virus bringing to 19,877 the total number of confirmed cases in Ireland. The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread. As of midnight Monday last, 153,054 tests have been carried out. Over the past week, 41,470 tests were carried out and of these 5,335 were positive, giving a …

As of midnight on Saturday, Clare citizens have effectively been ordered to stay indoors except for a few clearly identified circumstances. The announcement was made during a televised address from Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar. All public and private gatherings outside of a single household are also prohibited in the most stringent attempt so far to deal with the Corona virus. People will be allowed to leave their homes to travel to essential work, to travel to medical appointments, to shop for food or medical necessities or for vital family reasons, for example providing care to a vulnerable person. Exercise can be taken outdoors but only singly and within 2km of your home. Non essential shops and services will close and all non-essential surgery will be postponed. A ban on visiting hospitals and other health facilities is in place except on compassionate grounds. A list of essential businesses will be published later today and some shops will be restricted to call out …

Visiting restrictions are now in place in University Hospital Limerick as staff investigate an outbreak of the vomiting bug. “We regret having to take these necessary precautionary measures and we are looking for co-operation from members of the public as we manage this situation. There are currently four patients symptomatic on Ward 4A. Therefore we request that visitors are not permitted on this ward until further notice,” the HSE said. A spokesperson said that in the interests of patient safety, it is also necessary to reduce footfall to all areas of the hospital to better manage the outbreak and facilitate cleaning. “Until further notice, only one visitor per patient is allowed in the rest of the hospital (i.e. unaffected wards) and during visiting hours only from 2pm to 4pm and 6pm to 9pm. Members of the public are reminded not to bring children on visits anywhere in the hospital. Parents of children in Paediatrics and relatives of those in Critical Care …

Strict visiting restrictions remain in place at University Hospital Limerick following an outbreak of influenza. As of 3pm this Friday afternoon there were nine confirmed cases of seasonal influenza in the hospital. In addition there is one confirmed cases of norovirus in the hospital. The Health Protection and Surveillance Centre has this week urged people in high-risk groups to get vaccinated against as the number of reported cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) in Ireland has increased in the past week. UL Hospitals Group has asked that members of the public respect the current restrictions on visiting at UHL. Only those visiting critically unwell patients and parents visiting sick children are unaffected by the restrictions. All other visitors are asked to stay away from the hospital at this time, and in particular the under-16s, those with flu symptoms and those feeling unwell in general. “We regret any inconvenience caused by the restrictions, which are being implemented in the interests of patient …

Hundreds of farmers in North East Clare and South Galway are in a flap over the designation of land for the protection of the hen harrier, which has rendered an estimated 9,844 acres “worthless”. Feelings are running high among landowners in the Sliabh Aughty area, which has the dubious distinction of having the largest designation to safeguard this protected species under an EU directive. As a new farming group, Irish Farmers With Designated Land (IFDL) briefed deputies and members of the Oireachtas Agricultural Committee on the difficulties that landowners are experiencing due to this designation at a meeting in Dublin this week, local farmers said they are mounting an intensive campaign for change. Frustration and anger over the Government’s decision to suspend the previous compensation scheme in 2010 due to budgetary constraints, will be voiced at a public meeting in Ballinakill, County Galway on Tuesday next at 8.30pm. Farmers’ efforts to receive adequate compensation for the devaluation of their land …