Irish Examiner View: This is the time to hold the line in pandemic fight

Still from a video of a party at Berlin D2 over the weekend showing a barman pouring drinks directly into customer mouths from a bottle. Picture: Twitter/@antoon619

Jay Bourke, the owner of Berlin D2 in Dublin, the scene of Saturday afternoon’s video showing utter disregard for social-distancing obligations, may shrug off criticism, saying it “looked terrible, but ain’t that terrible”, but back in the real world politicians and health workers, those who may have come in contact with Bourke’s customers, too, must feel their efforts at containing the pandemic have been undermined. That breach is not by any means unique, but it is symbolic. 

Stephen Donnelly, the health minister, described the scenes as “reckless” and that “behaviour like that poses a threat to life. We’re not messing around here”.