Crossroads for new Government
There’s so much that this Government, and more correctly, the previous government got right about the way Ireland has dealt with the Covid-19 crisis here.
However the presence of US tourists and those from the UK mainland has lead to people becoming very uncomfortable.
Irish people have worked really hard and make huge sacrifices to limit the cases of Covid-19 here, so that we are able to open up the majority of our businesses and our society here safely. People went months without seeing their family and friends, they have missed weddings, birthdays and funerals and more, and sacrificed so much to bring down the rates of the disease on the island.
While Ireland’s airports are open to all, we Irish citizens are advised against essential travel, which seems to be unfair.
Tour operators and hotels here, who are crying out for business, are in some cases turning away Americans or other nationalities who failed to quarantine for two weeks on arrival.
Realistically, once nearly any tourist is here, they are not going to quarantine. They are not going to waste their time, money and holiday, sitting in a hotel for two weeks. So as a policy it’s pretty redundant.
The US, for example, has huge limitations as to who can travel there, even though the numbers of people infected with Covid-19 are spiralling out of control in many states.
This week the Government have indicated that a 'green list' of countries where Irish people can travel to, restriction-free, will be published next week.
The Government met yesterday and had further discussions around travel, taking into account advice from the National Public Health and Emergency Team (NPHET).
On Tuesday it was reported that NPEHT has serious reservations about the scheduled reopening of all bars next week. Phase 4 of the easing of Covid-19 restrictions is scheduled to take place on Monday, but it must first get Cabinet approval first.
Resignation
This has all been somewhat overshadowed by the shock sacking of Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen from his role as Minister for Agriculture on Tuesday evening. It comes following the controversy surrounding his drink-driving ban in 2016. He had only been in the role for just over two weeks.
It was Micheál Martin’s first major decision as Taoiseach. Yesterday he appointed Mayo TD Dara Calleary to the role.
His first three weeks as Taoiseach could hardly have gone worse to be honest with the number of controversies that have dogged it.
His Government have to make a crucial decision on whether to open the pubs on the original schedule or not, a decision that may be very unpopular. After all, no one wants to be the one to tell people their pubs can’t re-open yet!
The decision to sack Mr Cowen comes after the Offaly TD first refused to resign. It was a difficult decision for Mr Martin to make, given how he has already angered so much of his own party through his ministerial appointments earlier in July.
And he hardly wanted to sack one of his ministerial appointments less than three weeks into the life of the Government. It has shown he is decisive though, and is not afraid to take hard decisions.
It’s not clear yet if it was the right decision and it may never be clear. His next major decisions will include how we avoid a second surge. He and the Government really need to get that one right.