Covid-19: House visits banned across Ireland amid move to level four
Taoiseach Micheál Martin announcing the new restrictions during a media briefing at Government Buildings, on Wednesday evening. Picture: Tom Honan/Julien Behal Photography/PA Wire
All house visits across the State have been banned while three counties have been moved to level four in a dramatic bid by the Government to halt the march of Covid-19.
Following an emergency Cabinet meeting, Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed that Donegal, Cavan, and Monaghan will move to level four from 12 midnight tonight.
Mr Martin said this is because there are concerns regarding the full implementation of the existing level three restrictions.
He said these concerns include poor application or adherence to measures in the areas of home visiting; sports training and events; people going into the workplace when they could and should work remotely, and slippage in areas such as retail and personal services.
As a result, no visitors would be allowed to homes or gardens, although exemptions such as providing care for elderly relatives and children will be permitted.
In outdoor settings away from home, up to six people from no more than two households can meet, while maintaining social distancing.
He said that while Halloween and Christmas are not cancelled, the normal trick or treating “should not happen”, saying we need to reduce social contacts to a minimum.
The Taoiseach said the exemption for cup championship matches will be removed, and sporting bodies will be told that if they cannot maintain protective measures and outdoor training, such training should cease, he said.
Weddings scheduled for this weekend in the three affected northern counties will be allowed go ahead in line with level three restrictions but, after that, a limit of six will apply, he said.
Speaking after the Cabinet meeting, the Taoiseach said: “We are living in very difficult times and that things may indeed get worse before they get better.
"But this Government is prepared to do everything in its power to protect lives and public health, while working to minimise the damage to the economy and help businesses stay afloat, so that we can get back to doing what they do best.”
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said there is a misnomer about gatherings in homes are all house parties but said that all informal gatherings in homes, and not just parties, must stop.
“I think sometimes people associate home gatherings with house parties,” he said, “[but] it is more frequently smaller gatherings.
“All those things have to stop because if they don’t stop, the virus can’t be stopped. And that’s what we’re asking people to do from today,” he said.
Norma Foley, the education minister, said it is intended that schools remain open no matter what level restrictions the country is at.
In the Government’s level five plan, keeping the schools open remains an “absolute determination” at all five levels, she added.
In an interview with the , Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe defended the Government’s decision to reject the Nphet advice to move to level five two weeks ago.
“We, the Government, made what was the right decision at that point,” he said.
“I have massive respect for the work that Nphet has done and will continue to do. But what we as a Government have to do is to try and balance all of the considerations that rest with us.
“Given where we are now with the disease, and given where we are with the likelihood of this disease being with us, it is understandable that if we make a decision that affects the livelihoods of many hundreds of thousands of people we’re able to explain why we’ve made that decision,” he said.
“That’s not pig ignorance.”
He said despite the refusal of the Northern Executive to adopt an all-island strategy, the Government is seeking to achieve some degree of coordination with Belfast.
The announcement came following news that pubs and restaurants in Northern Ireland will close for four weeks, with the exception of takeaways and deliveries, while schools will shut for two weeks in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
