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?

@Annamaria14 I’m not familiar enough with it to answer your question.
Anecdotally I have heard that some employees on lower pay have requested redundancy notice from employers in order to get the Covid payment, usually on the understanding that they’ll be taken on again but of course it’s high risk.

I don’t know how quickly the government can act to legislate for employers to act fairly in accommodating working parents.

And it will all have to be temporary.

I agree that childcare is a major issue and I’m struggling with it myself but I find the constant ‘what about this particular scenario, it doesn’t work for This situation’ arguments to be beside the point. There’s no perfect solution.

??

Here in Ireland of course. Why would I be writing about anywhere else?

I agree that childcare is a major issue and I’m struggling with it myself but I find the constant ‘what about this particular scenario, it doesn’t work for This situation’ arguments to be beside the point. There’s no perfect solution.

This is how I feel too (although in fairness I go on maternity in June which reduces the childcare issue for our household). We're in this for the long haul, and every decision made will have negative repercussions for some group of people. We all need to wrap our heads around that. Things won't just go back to normal for a while.

I think Ireland doesn’t have a good record for childcare generally. Facilitating working parents (primarily mothers) has not been a priority and we could learn a lot from French, German and Scandinavian models. Probably a hangover from our socially conservative past which we are shaking off bit by bit.

We do rely a lot on grandparents and while it’s nice to maintain those family ties it creates inequality when that’s not available.

But we’re not going to resolve those ingrained attitudes to children and childcare during a global pandemic.

It would be a really positive step if it was discussed more as a result and that led to a better national system.

@ElspethFlashman because we have talked about the UK and Ireland here, and you said "if people lose their jobs they sign on as normal" - and that is not what happened in Ireland. If you lose your job from Covid, there is no signing on, you have to go through a different process and you get a special Covid payment, not an unemployment payment as normal

Ah my mistake.

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/what-are-working-parents-supposed-to-do-between-now-and-september-1.4242875?mode=amp

@Annamaria14

AFAIK you can claim if you havd no child care. See attached. My friend shared this in our chat group in early April. None of my group availed of it, so not sure of exact details

Wording isn’t as definitive now which is interesting

I noticed that! I tried to find the original

That is interesting

If anyone can tell me - a Childcare Professional how to work in a creche observing social distancing I would be glad to hear your suggestions - nappy changing - an Edward Scissorhands contraption without the scissors perhaps 🙄

Explaining 2m separation to the under 5s have at it 🙄

Can anybody explain what is going through the minds of Gemma O'Doherty and John Waters. I know what their case is, but WHY!?!?! Do they think we should be doing things like Sweden!? is their point that this sets a legal precedent ? They are journalists not lawyers though, so seems like it would be a surprising hill for two journos to die on. John Waters was always an ol' bastard. I hadn't heard of Gemma O'Doherty before that clip of her berating the gardai for not knowing who she was. That classic line!

My friend just rang me from Canada - they are re opening things in his region today.

I am in ireland - August is so far away!

Do you not think that August is too far away , to reopen everything.

@Bluntness100

Yes, there will be a financial hit, but in Irish society, people genuinely care about others and will support each other. In small tight knit communities in particular, no-one will starve.

I’ve lived for most of my life in the U.K. and still have family there. The reason I decided to permanently move here to Ireland is mainly because of the strong sense of social responsibility that exists here. It is noticeably different to the UK, where people need to pigeon hole you first to see if you fit into their tribe, before they decide if you’re worth getting to know.

It is noticeably different to the UK, where people need to pigeon hole you first to see if you fit into their tribe, before they decide if you’re worth getting to know.

Sometimes it's the prejudices of the person moving to an area that is the problem?

I am from the UK but live in a different country within UK now. This has not been my experience at all. Yes I am only 1 person, but so are you.

You have just made sweeping generalisations about ROI and the UK. Can you imagine the outcry and the comments that would go with it if a Brit did the same

Can anybody explain what is going through the minds of Gemma O'Doherty and John Waters
Hot air.

@EverythingChanges321 you have lived in every country in the UK to come to that conclusion?

It is noticeably different to the UK, where people need to pigeon hole you first to see if you fit into their tribe, before they decide if you’re worth getting to know

I am from the UK but live in a different country within UK now. This has not been my experience at all

It has completely been my experience.

Such a perfect summary. For example, do you drive a car that is posh enough for them to associate with you? Can't imagine that being a consideration in Ireland other than maybe a few very rich people in the naice areas of Dublin.

Can anybody explain what is going through the minds of Gemma O'Doherty and John Waters

Gemma O Doherty is a racist troublemaker.She reminds me of Katie Hopkins
John Waters should really have a bit more cop on.

https://www.change.org/p/irish-court-services-gemma-o-doherty-and-or-john-waters-do-not-speak-for-us?recruiter=878218586&utmsource=shareepetition&utmmedium=twitter&utmmcampaign=psfcombooshareinitial&recruiteddby_id=fc4ab580-61f0-11e8-a76b-2f1899ff52ec&pt=AVBldGl0aW9uAOdATQEAAAAAXqtIn3eHOmoxNDk3MmQxNw%3D%3D

For example, do you drive a car that is posh enough for them to associate with you?

It gets better and better

Nope not my experience at all. In fact if someone determined their friends that way I would want nothing to do with them.

You are making generalisations for the whole of the UK. The UK that consists of 4 countries and many different regions.

I am actually shocked. You get arseholes in every country. You must have attracted them but don't tar us all with the same brush.

Gemma Dohery is an interesting case. Person I vaguely know used to work with her. She was always normal and nice but suffered a bereavement - her husband I think. She changed after that

yes I'm spreading gossip. But at least I dont spread conspiracy theories and alt right talking points.

@Peppafrig no, not lived in NI but stayed with friends for periods for work. I enjoyed my time in Belfast. Yes to living in various places in England, Glasgow in Scotland, and Cardiff in Wales.
Did seriously consider moving permanently to Scotland but Scottish DH was less keen.