Ireland plans for Phased re-opening

[EverythingChanges321]

The Taoiseach (Irish PM) has announced tonight a 4 phase period for re-opening the country but has said that schools will remain closed until September.
Must admit, I’m happy about the delay as I was worried about how I’d manage DS attending school with his dad cocooning as DH has a blood cancer.
Also, that small social gatherings of friends can begin on 18th May outdoors, providing still maintaining social distancing rules. That’s really lifted my spirits as I’m missing seeing my friends.
Any other Irish mumsnetters on here?
What are your thoughts about tonight’s announcement?

I hope we don’t follow this in England. My mental health can’t cope with kids off till Sept and my hair can’t cope with no hairdresser for another 3 months. You can’t keep kids out of education for 6 months. Ridiculous.

Is it 4 in each household that can meet or 4 total so a parent with 3 kids couldn't meet up with anybody else is that right?

Even with schools closed parents need childcare such as holiday clubs. School being closed doesn’t change parents needing childcare when they’ve got to go to work.

@Sunnyhopefulness it's not daft. Teacher's are not babysitters and the Irish goverment has given paid time off to the majority of workers who dont have childcare

We value our teachers more than you do in the UK. It's important that teachers feel valued in their job so they stay in it and become more experienced, better teachers and not leave due to stress, ridiculous paper pushing and public attacks within 5 years like in England.

@ChippityDoDa we’re already ahead of some things in their middle stages anyway. They seem to have shut more than we did with tighter restrictions

You can’t keep kids out of education for 6 months. Ridiculous.
Hello, there's a pandemic!

Secondary schools would close here from end of May until end of August anyway.

@chocomug What paid time off for parent is this?

I broadly support the measures, but it's going to be tough to continue to work from home with kids... no childcare until July.

Hurray.

The thought of homeschooling until the end of June...

He more or less said that school in Sept will be staggered so different year groups at different times. So online teaching at home combined with reduced attendance. This is sensible there are 1500 students where I work, we wouldn't cope otherwise.

No mention if the high rates of Covid 19 I notice.

@ChippityDoDa schools in ROI have very long summer holidays, so they would be breaking up in about a month anyway, so no point opening for a couple of days.

And I think people's health is more important than a haircut (I do feel for hairdressers though from an income point of view)

Sorry meant to say high rates in Direct Provision.

What about parents who will have to go to work and no childcare is still
Open ? Some places currently shut will re open and people will have to go
In
Helps with schools closing end of May a year as would be pointless going back did a week or to , England middle July ( well
Just after ) I wouldn't be surprised if some of ours go back in June but not all
But all countries are following very similar paths and those further ahead will prob influence decisions at times it think a long time before normal
Also I don't get 4 person thing if you are a family 4 can you meet another 4 ?

No four in total, outside.

So if you’re a family of 5, you can’t all go out at once.

Interesting how it’s so different to England who are not particularly shielding the over 70’s.

Ok so four in total could people mix with 3 different people everyday or do they have to nominate the 3 ?

Wait... in UK it was advisory but not compulsory that ppl age 70+ don't go out at all. Is it legally mandated in Ireland that ppl age 70+ can't go out, and even when younger people can go to garden centres or meet up with friends for picnics, ppl age 70+ will still be on house arrest?

Then for many the 4 outside will be no different most families are 4 or more surely

The cocooning for over 70s is 'advisable ' and there was never any fines or checks. People assumed that.

You can already go out with as many members if one household as there are, the new rule of 4 is Ivassume meeting friends for walks and the like.

But there's a whole bullet point about people who are cocooning can only be visited in phase 2 (or 3?) with gloves & masks on. Which implies that the other freedoms, opening up in general, are not going to be available to the 'advisory' cocooning group.

I agree about the childcare issue. If I was expected to work on May 18th I simply couldn’t because I have no childcare options.

Other than that I think it’s a good plan overall but I think people are becoming too relaxed here about the restrictions. So possible it will drag out for longer. I know many people who have visited other households simply because they are bored.

Yes thats inside a house. They have been allowed out, not legally mandated. But most stayed in. They don't want people potentially bringing into the elders houses.

ICUs have not been overwhelmed to capacity so that's why from Tuesday older people can go within 5k. But not have visitors. Everything still at 2 metres.

They were deliberate about being ambiguous re the first phrase and cocooners to keep people at home. And it worked.

So, I can go and visit my elderly parents in June (from the UK). I plan to quarantine in the garden when I get there.

It depends on the UK restrictions I'd imagine. If you'll be allowed to travel.

I was really pleased to read about this today, it looks like a sensible plan and we all know what is going to happen and when. Not for the first time, I'm glad I live in Ireland now!

So all going to plan on 18th May there'll be huge queues outside garden centres and DIY stores, and on 20th July a major stampede in the direction of hairdressers. I can't wait