Letters to the editor: Pandemic is far from over — so leave the travel advice to the experts
Pilots are anxious about their industry, but we should also ask the views of groups such as cabin crew — who would be in close contact with passengers — and heed the expert advice of Nphet on Covid-19. Picture: PA
The Irish aviation industry has been savaged by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions imposed by the Irish Government.
A group, Recover Irish Aviation, fronted by the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association, has been front and foremost in its outspoken criticism of the Government, the chief medical officer and Nphet.
The impact of the damage done to the economic generator that is aviation, in terms of foreign direct investment and social and cultural ties, cannot be underestimated.
A demonstration by pilots at Leinster House, calling for an end to restrictions on international travel and to use antigen testing as a means to do so, has been met by some scepticism.
Nphet advises Government on public health. They are the experts on epidemiological and scientific data, not pilots whose area of expertise lies within the area of flying aeroplanes.
I would be interested to know how cabin crew would feel about the use of antigen testing as they are the people in the cabin looking after health, safety, and comfort needs of the passengers. They are the close contacts.
It would seem that Recover Irish Aviation is more about recovering pilot lifestyles.
The Government needs to proceed with caution and take advice from all sources, including economic experts, while keeping a close eye on the epidemiological situation, including the rising number of cases in the UK as a result of the Indian variant of concern, which has topped 3,000 — the highest daily figure since April.
This pandemic is far from over.
I think the time limit for indoor dining for restaurants that are not connected to hotels make no sense. The current rules proposed are giving hotels an unfair advantage.
As the Government looks to cautiously lift Covid-19 restrictions, it needs to give a serious uplift to the aviation industry.
International travel has been demonised throughout the response to Covid-19, leaving little room for considered deliberation about its impact and role on the Irish economy and society.
The aviation sector employs approximately 150,000 people, both directly and indirectly in Ireland, from foreign direct investment and exports to inbound tourism. It is worth billions to the Irish economy and is one of the biggest generators of economic activity in the State.
It therefore needs to be restored as soon as it is safely practical to do so.
Ireland’s vaccination programme is gathering serious pace and momentum, with some 300,000 doses being administered per week, which is well beyond the 250,000 per week originally forecast.
This is great news as it improves our bio-security profile and epidemiological outlook. It means Ireland’s people are safer with each passing day.
This, coupled with recommendations contained in the National Civil Aviation Development Forum, should allow the Government to feel reassured about opening international travel.
The Government continues to favour slower, more expensive PCR tests for travel (costing approximately €150), despite a report from a group headed by Science Foundation Ireland chief Prof Mark Ferguson recommending the use of the faster antigen screening system.
As a senior cabin crew member for many years, I know that I would be greatly reassured if passengers were to board my flights with proof that they are not infectious at the point of travel, rather than with the results of a PCR test taken three days previously.
The Government should equally feel reassured and confident in the steps they have taken so far to feel that now is the time to open up international travel in tandem with our EU partners so that families can reunite and business associates can reconnect.
I recently returned from a work trip in the US, where a return to normality is well advanced due to their vaccination programme.
The Government needs to urgently take the first step to build back better and restore our vital aviation industry.
Well done to Dona Jaison, Emma Nolan, and Samantha Howard from St Mary’s Secondary School in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, for their excellent letters on racism ( , May 26).
It is great to see young people confident enough to and so well able to express their views.
Now that Boris Johnson has tendered his apology to the victims of the Ballymurphy atrocity, however lame it may be, perhaps his next move would be to make a special award for outstanding bravery in the case of Fr Mullan. The courageous priest walked out, unarmed, into a hail of bullets to give aid to a dying civilian and with no care for his own safety.
The thanks he got was to be vilified in the report and portrayed as an IRA gunman. This was rubbing salt in the bullet holes.
The time would now be right for the UK government to recognise his bravery by awarding him the George Cross, the highest award for bravery in civilian life.
I wonder is there some new study the Government has access to which says music now carries Covid? Specifically, live music? More specifically, live jazz? As there’s not many other types of live music played in indoor restaurants.
If 15 people with no masks can sit at a table indoors, 1m away from 15 other people, what effect will a piano player in the corner with a mask on have on granny (who would have had her vaccine)?
If the Government has evidence that live restaurant jazz is dangerous please publish it. Otherwise, I suggest they should follow the science.
We have the longest lockdown in Europe and people’s mental health has been suffering. The vaccine rollout is going ahead and if we are to believe the Government, most of the country will be vaccinated by the autumn.
This is ridiculous. No live music, no normalcy. How long are we supposed to live an abnormal life? Does the Government wish to micro-manage peoples lives indefinitely?
So much for the vaccines giving us our lives back.
The Dáil vote recognising illegal Israeli settlements as de facto annexation is to be welcomed. At last a formal recognition by an elected parliament of the reality that pertains on the West Bank.
For years, Israeli governments have insisted on strict preconditions for engagement in any talks with Palestinian officials with no reciprocation on their part.
While it is reasonable of the Israelis to expect recognition of its right to exist, and the end to rocket attacks, talks can only proceed on their acknowledgement of the illegality of the settlements and their impact on a proposed Palestinian homeland on the West Bank.
In the current political climate, with the nationalist right-wing in the ascendancy, this is unlikely to occur voluntarily but international pressure may force the issue.
The Government should now progress the Occupied Territories Bill and use its influence at the UN Security Council to try and break the deadlock before the seemingly endless cycle of violence continues.
I was shocked and angry when I watched the RTÉ news on Thursday, May 27. It was reported in the headlines of the news that there was a shortfall in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Later in the sports section of the programme it was reported that the European Union is exporting 100 million vaccines to Japan for the Olympic Games.
Can someone please explain to me how the European Union can justify this action? And what have the Irish MEPs to say about the matter?
