Advertisement

Morning top 5: COVID committee to discuss schools; Fianna Fáil unrest over junior ministries; Officials to consider international travel advice

Teachers and parents will discuss the reopening of schools at the Oireachtas COVID-19 committee t...
Newstalk
Newstalk

06.39 2 Jul 2020


Share this article


Morning top 5: COVID committee...

Morning top 5: COVID committee to discuss schools; Fianna Fáil unrest over junior ministries; Officials to consider international travel advice

Newstalk
Newstalk

06.39 2 Jul 2020


Share this article


Teachers and parents will discuss the reopening of schools at the Oireachtas COVID-19 committee today.

New Government guidance suggests social distancing won't be essential for children in the first four years of schooling.

Meanwhile, third class to sixth class children will be asked to keep one metre apart when schools return.

Advertisement

Secondary students will be asked to keep to metres apart where possible – and one metre apart in other situations.

The Irish National Teachers Organisation has said the guidelines are workable in some situations but not in others.

***

Health officials are expected to issue new advice on the 14-day quarantine period for international travellers.

The Government has pledged to publish a ‘green list’ of countries that are deemed safe to fly to in the coming days.

However, the Chief Medical Officer has warned that he is "beyond nervous" about any increase in foreign travel and has urged people to reconsider their summer holidays plans.

The number of flights at Dublin Airport doubled yesterday, despite Government advice to avoid non-essential travel.

***

The Taoiseach is facing further unrest within his own party over the new junior ministers appointed yesterday.

Seven new Ministers of State from Fianna Fáil, Seven from fine Gael and three from the Green Party will get to work this morning.

High profile TDs Jim O'Callaghan, Joe McHugh and John Paul Phelan all turned down offers of Junior Ministries.

Meanwhile, northwest Cork TD Michael Moynihan said Taoiseach Micheál Martin insulted him and his entire community by passing him over for a role.

***

Mental health users are still being treated like “second class citizens,” according to a new report.

The Mental Health Commission has found just half of facilities using physical restraint are compliant with their code of practice.

The oversight body's annual report released today also shows 69% of in-patient centres are unclean or have poor structural conditions.

Chief Executive of the Commission, John Farrelly, says too many mental health residents are being treated unfairly.

***

Four people were rescued from a cruiser that ran aground on Lough Derg yesterday.

The alarm was raised at about 5:30pm, when the Coast Guard requested the RNLI Lifeboat to attend the vessel.

After navigating shallow waters and rocks on the surface, the crew set the vessel up for a tow.

It was secured to the harbour at Garykennedy at 7pm, nobody was injured in the incident.


Share this article


Most Popular