Ten days to avoid new Covid-19 restrictions

Last week’s Cabinet meeting brought a midnight curfew for restaurants, pubs and nightclubs and a renewed call for people to work from home amid mounting concern about rising Covid-19 cases.

In contrast, Ministers didn't even discuss the pandemic at Tuesday's meeting and, as Political Editor Pat Leahy outlines today, the Government is taking a "wait-and-see" approach on whether or not there should be more restrictions.

There is a hope that last week’s measures – combined with the public taking the initiative themselves and cutting social contacts – will be enough so that renewed curbs on society are not needed.

A meeting of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) on Thursday next week will be crucial in the Coalition’s decision-making over what to do next.

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But put simply, there’s less than 10 days for the situation to improve if fresh restrictions are to be avoided in the weeks running up to Christmas.

As our lead story sets out, no further restrictions will be imposed by Government this week, and Ministers and officials said they saw tentative signs the huge recent spike in infections, hospital cases and ICU admissions was beginning to abate.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said it was too early to be definitive but that it appeared the positivity rate of Covid-19 tests was “starting to level off”.

“We will as a Government seek to avoid imposing extreme restrictions if we can,” he said.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan told Opposition parties that Nphet was unlikely to recommend further measures following its meeting this week.

He and Robert Watt, the secretary general of the Department of Health, briefed officials in Government Buildings after they met the Opposition. Government sources indicated their concern was most acute in relation to ICUs, with less worry about the numbers in hospital and current daily cases diagnosed.

There was concern, however, in the Government about the delay in bringing forward a plan to provide subsidised antigen tests to the public. Last week, the Government said it would broaden the use of the tests, which are quicker than the more accurate PCR test and can be self-administered.

However, efforts to finalise the plan are continuing amid ongoing consideration of the application of subsidies to different kinds of retailers, from pharmacies to supermarkets, that sell the tests.

A decision on the plan for antigen tests could happen in the coming days, but it could also be pushed into next week.

Best reads

Miriam Lord looks at TDs' concerns at the difficulties for people in securing a PCR test and how it was "easier to get your hands on tickets for Garth Brooks than it was to get your nostrils around a Covid cotton bud".

Former chief justice Frank Clarke waded into the Brexit debate, saying any move by the UK government to override decisions of the European Court of Human Rights simply because it does not like them would breach the separation of powers and amount to a "direct attack" on the rule of law. Mary Carolan reports here.

Also on Brexit, a Scottish seed potato producer evoked the Famine as he warned the Minister for Agriculture over the threat posed to Irish farmers' crops by the ban on exporting British seed potatoes to the EU.

In the wake of Boris Johnson's now-infamous Peppa Pig speech to business leaders, Downing Street has insisted the prime minister is not unwell. Denis Stanton reports.

Playbook

The Dáil starts at 9.12am with Topical Issues.

TDs will debate a Social Democrats Bill on sex education from 10am.

Leaders’ Questions is at noon.

Government business in the evening includes statements on Covid-19 and the new measures announced last week. The weekly votes are at 9.30pm.

It is a very busy day in committee-land.

The committee on enterprise will be carrying out pre-legisative scrutiny of the Sick Leave Bill with representatives of employers and unions from 9.30am.

HSE chief executive Paul Reid is before the committee on health to discuss issues facing hospitals and the winter plan at the same time.

The Commission on Pensions report will be examined by the committee on social protection with representatives of the unions and Family Carers Ireland at 9.30am.

At 1.30pm, the committee on transport and communications will meet chairwoman-designate of An Post Carol Bolger as well as representatives from the Irish Aviation Authority.

Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath is at the committee on finance and public expenditure, and Minister for Arts and Media Catherine Martin will be before the committee on tourism and culture, both at 1.30pm.

At 5.30pm representatives of the Central Bank will be before the committee on budgetary oversight.

At the same time, the committee on justice will be meeting stakeholders on the topic of minorities engaging with the justice system.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue will be at the committee on agriculture to be quizzed about a motion on horse and greyhound racing fund regulations, also at 5.30pm.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney will be before the Seanad committee on Brexit at 5.30pm.