News
Reopening roadmap: restrictions to ease – says Taoiseach

In an address to the nation this evening (Tuesday), Taoiseach Micheál Martin, outlined the next phase of easing restrictions 'COVID-19: Reframing the Challenge, Continuing Our Recovery and Reconnecting'.
The Government has agreed that during the period between September 1 and October 22, they will continue the careful and gradual approach to reopening, while supporting maximum reach of the vaccine programme and allowing time to achieve the full benefits for all those currently being vaccinated.
"Your effort and sacrifice has helped to save lives," he said.
He added that because of the uptake of the vaccine by the public that "we're now entering a whole new phase of the pandemic".
The Government has agreed that "the time is now right" to reopen many more sectors of society.
He added that if a new variant emerges "we will move quickly to respond" to it.
With the Delta variant, he added, "great uncertainty remains" and "we will have to remain vigilant". As we move in to this new phase, he said, "it'll be a time of trepidation for some".
EASING OF RESTRICTIONS:
Sept 1: Public transport will return to 100% capacity
Sept 6: Organised indoor events and mass gatherings can take place with capacity limits of 60% where all patrons are immune (fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 within previous 6 months), or accompanied minors (under 18), in line with sectoral guidance.
Sept 6: Cinemas and theatres will have capacity limits of 60% of venue capacity where all patrons are immune (fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 within previous 6 months
Sept 6: Outdoor events are permitted at a 75% capacity where all patrons are immune (fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 within previous 6 months), or accompanied minors (under 18), in line with sectoral guidance.
Sept 6: All religious ceremonies can proceed with 50% of venue capacity, regardless of immunity status of attendees.
Sept 6: Coach tour activity can recommence at 50% capacity with protective measures.
Sept 20: Organised indoor group activities (sports, arts, culture, dance classes) can take place with capacity limits of 100 people (with appropriate protective measures) where all patrons are immune (fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 within previous 6 months), or accompanied minors (under 18).
Sept 20: Restrictions on outdoor group activities for participants will be removed.
Sept 20: Return to work can be done on a phased basis
Sept 20: Restrictions on outdoor group activities for participants will be removed.
Oct 22: Almost all restrictions lifted but masks will be needed in some settings
COVID CASES
This evening 1,382 additional cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed while 355 COVID-19 patients are in hospital, with 54 of those patients in intensive care (ICU).
VACCINES
As of yesterday (Monday), there have been 6,818,637 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in Ireland:
* 3,451,531 people have received their first dose
* 3,367,106 people are fully vaccinated
News
Developing St Finan’s “cost prohibitive” – Council
Converting the idle St Finan’s hospital into social housing is cost-prohibitive according to Kerry County council officials. The historic building has been lying idle since it closed in September 2012. […]

Converting the idle St Finan’s hospital into social housing is cost-prohibitive according to Kerry County council officials.
The historic building has been lying idle since it closed in September 2012.
The hospital and adjoining lands are up for sale by the Health Service Executive (HSE) since then.
So far no realistic offer has been made on the site despite suggestions that it could be used for social housing, a catering college and a hotel.
Each year the building, which was built in the 1850s, falls into further disrepair.
There were fresh calls again this week as local councillors called for some sort of action to redevelop the site that is fast becoming an eyesore.
At last Friday’s Killarney Municipal District meeting councillors called for action at the site .
Mayor Brendan Cronin wants the building’s protected status to be removed or at least reduced to speed up potential development work which ties in with Cllr Marie Moloney’s idea that the old hospital could be converted into apartments or flats.
Cllr John O’Donoghue wants the HSE to find a way to hand over the property to Kerry County Council either by way of reduced payment or an intra-government agency ownership change.
A Kerry County Council official told the meeting that any works to potentially convert the old hospital into social housing “would be cost prohibitive.”
News
Eight month wait for a driving test in Killarney
A Killarney councillor is calling for action in an effort to reduce the driving test wait list in Killarney The current wait list for a test in Killarney sits at […]

A Killarney councillor is calling for action in an effort to reduce the driving test wait list in Killarney
The current wait list for a test in Killarney sits at eight months.
Cllr John O’Donoghue raised the issue at Monday’s full meeting of Kerry County Council.
He proposed that driving instructors should be employed to carry out the final test to reduce the current backlog.
At Monday’s meeting he asked that hat Kerry County Council would write to the Minister for Transport to ask him to consider giving driving instructors temporary powers to issue a temporary Driving Licence/Certificate of Competence to those on the waiting list for tests.
“The wait is currently far too long and the system is in danger of becoming completely overwhelmed,” he said.
“The huge waiting list for young drivers is well documented at this stage. In a case I am familiar with, a young person passed their theory test in January 2022 and he immediately applied for his mandatory 12 driving lessons. When these were completed, he applied for his driving test on the 2nd of December 2022. Some weeks ago, he still had not received an application to apply for his driving test. This wait is placing him and his family under considerable extra cost and stress which is completely unacceptable.”
In the course of his research into the matter Cllr O’Donoghue discovered that the next available date for a driving test in Killarney is May 25, 2024, while Tralee is June 3 2024.
“Bear in mind, these are only the dates on which you receive an invitation to book your test, the test itself will then be an estimated three to five weeks later.
“This is an appalling situation and one which needs to be rectified as a matter of urgency. I am proposing that driving instructors, which presumably are fully trained up on the rules of the road, be granted temporary powers to be allowed to issue temporary driving licences to young people. When the waiting list time has been reduced, I would still propose that these people sit the test as usual, but the current pressure needs to be alleviated as soon as possible. There is precedent as I believe that in the 1970s, a cohort in this country were issued driving licences without having sat a test as the wait time for the test was too long.”
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