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From Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD and Minister of State for Further Education and Skills Niall Collins TD have today (26 February) welcomed confirmation that over 1.5 million people have viewed The Right Course website.
The Right Course is a resource for those for in
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
The Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., today announced the establishment of a Seafood Sector Taskforce. The Taskforce is established to make recommendations to the Minister on measures to mitigate the impacts of the fish quota share reductions, arising from the EU/UK Trade & Cooperation Agreement, on the Irish Fishing industry and on the coastal communities that depend on fisheries.
Announcing the Taskforce, Minister
From Department of Health
Today, Minister of State for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Frank Feighan TD, and Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs and Sport, Jack Chambers TD, jointly launched the National Physical Activity Plan Implementation Summary Report, 2019. The report’s publication had been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister Feighan said:
“The promotion of physical activity has been a priority for my department in the context of the implementation of Healthy Ireland. I am very pleased with the progress which has been made to date and which is detailed in both this Implementation Summary Report and previous reports for 2017 and 2018.
“While the restrictions imposed by the
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue T.D., has announced that he has secured 20 additional fixed-term teaching positions for Teagasc.
The posts will be aimed at delivering greater
From Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD has today (Friday) met with EU Ministers on the role of Research and Innovation in the Recovery and Resilience Plans in rebuilding economies and societies post pandemic.
Speaking today, Minister Harris said:
"Ireland recognises the need to invest in
From Department of Rural and Community Development
Minister Joe O’Brien, Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development with special responsibility for Community Development and Charities, today joined with his colleague, Minister Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to launch a White Paper on the Government’s new international Protection Support System – a move Minister O’Brien today described as a “radical policy shift”. He said previous policy did not adequately recognise the full humanity of people and their rights until they were granted full status and it has been this flawed approach which has allowed direct provision to persist. This plan, he says, “turns that policy on its head.”
Minister O’Brien, whose professional
From Department of Rural and Community Development
Funding targeted at organisations which have suffered due to Pandemic
A €10 million fund is to be established to assist community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises, which have suffered as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The funding was jointly announced today by
From Department of Health
To parents and guardians,
Through your hard work and willingness to buy in to public health guidance over the past two months, we have made real progress in suppressing the most recent wave of COVID-19. This progress has meant that primary and post-primary schools and the wider provision of childcare can now commence on a phased basis.
The importance of schools for the overall
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 29 additional deaths related to COVID-19.
17 of these deaths occurred in February, and 12 occurred in January.
The median age of those who died was 77 years and the age range was 29 - 95 years.
There has been a total of 4,300 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.
As of midnight Thursday 25 February, the HPSC has been notified of 776 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There has now been a total of 218,251* confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.
(*Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted
From Department of Health
The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, has added an additional 13 states to the list of ‘high-risk’ countries. Passengers arriving from these designated states must complete a mandatory 14-day period of self-quarantine.
Minister Donnelly said:
“The government continues to advise against all non-essential international travel at this time and a range of measures is in place to reinforce this policy. If you travel to Ireland from any of the high-risk countries, you must complete a full 14-day quarantine period. This applies to all passengers from designated states, regardless of nationality and the aim of this measure is to protect the population from challenges posed by new variants of concern.
"I brought legislation to the Dáil this week to bring in mandatory quarantine in a designated facility.
Once the Bill has passed through all stages in the Oireachtas, it will be referred to the President for his consideration. Subject to the Bill becoming law, it is the government’s intention to commence the operation of mandatory quarantine facilities as soon as possible."
A National Oversight Group for Variants of Concern (VOCS) has been established to monitor and advise upon the challenges posed by VOCs.
The group provides advice to the Chief Medical Officer, who in turn advises the Minister for Health on countries to be specified as category 2 under the current Regulations (S.I. No. 44 of 2021).
The list of category 2 countries is subject to review on an ongoing basis.
Additional states added to category 2 are:
The states currently designated as category 2 are:
Angola, Argentina, Austria, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Eswatini, French Guiana, Guyana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Republic of South Africa, Rwanda, Seychelles, Suriname, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
A new partnership has been agreed between the National Gallery, London and the Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin regarding the 39 paintings in the Sir Hugh Lane Bequest, which allows the public in both the UK and Ireland to continue enjoying these works on a regular basis.
In moving on from previous agreements made during the past 50 years, the two galleries are now committed to working in partnership regarding the care and display of these paintings in a spirit of collegiality.
When Hugh Lane (born County Cork, 1875) perished on the Lusitania on 7 May 1915, it emerged that he had bequeathed his collection of 39 modern paintings – including works by Renoir, Manet, Mancini, Monet, Morisot, Pissarro, Vuillard and Degas - to the National Gallery, London.
Soon after his death, a codicil to the will was
From Department of Transport
Minister Ryan and Minister of State Naughton have today announced that the European Commission has given approval under EU State aid rules, for a €26 million Irish aid scheme to compensate airport operators for the losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state aid package includes
From Department of Justice
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD has today welcomed the nomination by the Chief Justice of High Court Judge, Mr Justice Michael White, as the inaugural Chairperson of the statutory Parole Board.
The establishment of the Board has been
From Department of Health
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 56 additional deaths related to COVID-19.
31 of these deaths occurred in February, 13 occurred in January, 3 in December or earlier, while a further 9 are under investigation.
The median age of those who died was 82
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue T.D., today met with Ulster Bank Chief Executive Jane Howard following the bank’s decision to start exiting the Irish market.
Minister McConalogue said,
“I am pleased to have had the
From Department of Health
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD, and Ministers of State Mary Butler TD, Frank Feighan TD and Anne Rabbitte TD have today welcomed the publication of the HSE National Service Plan 2021.
The HSE National Service Plan 2021 sets out
From Department of Health
Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler TD, has welcomed the publication of the HRB evidence review: Housing with support for older people: experience and impact.
This report was commissioned by the
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Due to COVID-19, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has today (24th February 2021) agreed with the Commissioner of Valuation that the Commissioner will defer the revaluation of rateable properties in the following local authority areas until 2022:
Clare County Council, Donegal County
From Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath TD, and Minister of State for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, with responsibility for Public Procurement and eGovernment, Ossian Smyth TD, welcomed the launch of the Public Service Data Catalogue , which will provide citizens greater transparency around the data held by the public service.
The Public Service Data Catalogue facilitates
Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton TD has announced today 24th February 2021, details of a further extension to the expiry dates of driving licences. The move comes as the EU and national Governments take steps in response to the disruption caused by Covid-19 to driver licensing services across the EU.
The extension will apply to different groups of licence holders including those who benefited from extensions in 2020.
Drivers who are affected by the extension are
Marking the culmination of the “Ireland Reads” campaign, President Higgins today made another donation of books from his personal collection.
The donation is the second made by the President to Ireland’s Public Library Service. In February 2020, the President visited Cabra Library, to donate some 700 books to the public library system.
The President’s donation this week coincides with the
From Department of Health
The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD has today announced an update to Ireland’s COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy.
The government approved the Provisional Vaccine Allocation Strategy on 8 December last year. It was noted at the time that the Strategy would be kept under review and amended as a result of changes to existing evidence and/or the epidemiological situation.
Minister Donnelly said:
"Our COVID-19 Vaccination Programme has always been built on fairness and to ensure that those with the highest risk of severe disease and death were prioritised for vaccines when supplies were limited. This is why the focus has been on those living in nursing homes and our older people in the community.
"The National Immunisation Advisory
From Department of Education
Minister for Education Norma Foley TD and Minister of State Josepha Madigan TD today welcomed the Government decision for the next phases of return to in-school provision for students at both primary and post-primary level.
Building on the return to school in recent weeks of children in special schools and in special classes at primary and post-primary level, the government has decided on a phased return of students to in-school education.
These further phases have been developed in
From Department of Social Protection
PUP to remain open to new entrants; rates to remain unchanged
Waiver on waiting days for Jobseeker’s also extended
Quickest and easiest way to apply is through www.MyWelfare.ie
Social Protection Minister, Heather
From Department of Health
Today's cases
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 45 additional deaths related to COVID-19.
41 of these deaths occurred in February, 4 in January.
The median age of those who died was 84 years and the age range was 55-104 years.
There has been a total of 4,181* COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.
(*Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted
From Department of Rural and Community Development
Minister Joe O’Brien, Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development with special responsibility for Community Development and Charities, has today written to all Ministers & Government Departments underlining his commitment to implementing the Roadmap for Social Inclusion and specifically the commitment within that roadmap for all Government Departments to ‘renew and refresh’ engagement with the Community & Voluntary sector. Minister O’Brien has asked each Department to outline and quantify their level of engagement with the sector with a view to identifying ways to further strengthen that engagement.
Minister O’Brien pointed out that ongoing
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
The Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., today announced the recognition of the Irish Islands Marine Resource Organisation (IIMRO) as an EU Producer Organisation.
Announcing the recognition of the IIMRO as a Producer Organisation, Minister McConalogue said,
“In our Programme for Government,
From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD has announced that Enterprise Ireland, the government agency responsible for the development and growth of Irish companies in global markets, invested more than €48 million in Irish start-ups in 2020 and supported a total of 125 new start-up companies.
Investment was provided through Enterprise
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Following last night's heavy rain (with more forecast for today) there are numerous paths and trails as well as some of the car parks in Killarney National Park inaccessible and closed due to flooding.
Following last night’s heavy rain and with
From Department of Health
Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Anne Rabbitte TD, today announced funding has been provided to the HSE to open St Gabriel’s Children’s Centre–based Respite Service in Mungret, Limerick.
Minister Rabbitte said,
“In Budget 2021, I committed to provide funding
From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Minister Robert Troy meets with Regional Steering Committee for Midlands Region to begin the process
Enterprise Ministers encourage enterprise collaboration and building on regional strengths to drive jobs recovery
#RegionalEnterprise
The process to develop a series of new
Today's cases
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 1 additional death related to COVID-19.
There has been a total of 4,137 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.
As of midnight Sunday 21 February, the HPSC has been notified of 686 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There has now been a total of 215,743 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.
Of the cases notified today:
325 are men and 354 are women
66% are under 45 years of age
the median age is 34 years old
278 in Dublin, 49 in Limerick, 37 in Kildare, 32 in Louth, 31 in Donegal and the remaining 259 cases are spread across all remaining counties
As of 8am today, 726 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 156 are in ICU. There have been 33 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.
Numbers of people vaccinated
As of last Friday (19 February), there have been 340,704 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in Ireland:
214,384 people have received their first dose
126,320 people have received their second dose
Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said:
"We continue to see really high levels of compliance amongst the population and this is having a positive impact on the levels of disease in our communities. It is also having a positive impact on our hospitals – while last week there were 269 cases in healthcare workers and 4 outbreaks in our hospitals these represent a very significant reduction compared with the 839 cases and 15 outbreaks in the week to the 7th of February.
"In time, vaccination will be our most powerful tool against COVID-19 and over the coming weeks those who are highest risk in our families and communities will get vaccinated. For now, each of us has a range of tried and trusted tools at our disposal - by keeping our distance, washing our hands, wearing face masks and staying at home we will continue to drive down transmission of this disease. Our collective efforts move us closer to the continued reopening of our schools and the resumption of non-COVID healthcare services."
The COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19 in the community, including daily data on Ireland’s COVID-19 Vaccination Programme.
From Department of Social Protection
This week, the Department of Social Protection has issued weekly payments valued at €141.88 million to 473,413 people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).
The number of people receiving a PUP payment this week has decreased by 4,252 compared to last week.
These figures are in addition to the 188,543 people who were on the Live Register at the end of January.
All Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Malcolm Noonan T.D., Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform today, (22 Febraury 2021), announced that he has approved grant funding of just under €230,000 to 25 local community groups and organisations for a variety of peatlands related projects across Ireland.
Announcing the funding under the Peatlands
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., today reiterated Ireland’s concerns and priorities for the EU/UK consultations on fishing opportunities for 2021. The EU Commission is for the first time undertaking negotiations with the UK which, by the end of March ,should determine the full year fishing quotas for all stocks shared with the EU.
Speaking at today’s informal meeting of
From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Minister Catherine Martin T.D. has announced a new Artist-in-Residence scheme to create new works to encourage public engagement with the Decade of Centenaries and institutions.
Artists will be invited to reflect on the rich
From Department of Rural and Community Development
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, today (Monday, 22 February), announced a new €800,000 Social Enterprise Regeneration Programme to help Social Enterprises recover from the impact of COVID-19.
Social enterprises are businesses whose
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
The Minister for Housing, Local Government & Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, has today (22 February 2021) announced nine appointments to the board of the newly established Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority, following a process conducted by the Public Appointments Service.
Commenting Minister O’Brien said:
“I am delighted to establish the Regulator
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Mr. Darragh O’Brien TD, has today (22nd February 2021) launched an open call for research in relation to legacy issues of defective concrete blocks and pyritic hardcore.
€200,000 will be made available to fund this
From Department of Education
The Minister for Education Norma Foley TD today announced the patronage of the three new primary schools to be established in 2021.
In all cases, the Minister accepted the recommendations of the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG).
Today’s announcement forms an essential
From Department of Health
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of three cases of a new variant of COVID-19 (‘P1’), first identified in Brazil.
All of the cases identified are directly associated with recent travel from Brazil. All cases are being followed up by public health teams and enhanced public health measures have been put in place, in line with guidance.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of
From Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD has today (19 February 2021) launched a stakeholder consultation on the reform of the Higher Education Authority legislation. A report to update stakeholders on the recent developments in the reform of the legislation has also been published.
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is responsible for the funding and oversight of the higher education sector. The legislation governing the HEA is 50 years old and in that time there has been a transformation in the higher education sector.
Speaking today, Minister Harris said:
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., has issued a call for proposals for Food Waste Reduction Initiatives under the 2021 Rural Innovation and Development Fund.
Minister McConalogue said
“This funding will further enhance the work
From Department of Social Protection
The Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, TD, has announced that victims of domestic violence can continue to access Rent Supplement on referral by Tusla or by Tusla-funded service providers until the end of 2021.
The protocol to assist victims of domestic violence was established between the Department of Social Protection and Tusla last year in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
While it was initially due to expire this
Speaking this morning (Friday) following the announcement by National Westminster Bank plc (NatWest) that Ulster Bank Ireland DAC (Ulster Bank) is to withdraw from the Irish market, the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe TD, said it is a difficult day from an Irish banking perspective, and also for the Ulster Bank staff who are receiving news of this development.
He went on to say, however, that the
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., today announced €4.9 million in new investment by nine seafood processing companies, with his department’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Programme providing grants of €1,011,184. The grants are co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union and are subject to terms and conditions.
Announcing the grants, Minister McConalogue
Dublin City Council is delighted to announce that the first former residents of St. Teresa’s Gardens were this morning given the keys to their new home at Margaret Kennedy Road.
The new development at Margaret Kennedy Road forms part of the on-going St. Teresa’s Gardens Regeneration Project. St Teresa's Gardens is located in the South Inner City of Dublin and the original complex of 12 blocks of flats was built in the early 1950s.
The construction of 54 new housing units at
From Department of the Taoiseach
Taoiseach Micheál Martin met members of the North West Strategic Growth Partnership and North West Regional Development Group by video call today to discuss regional growth priorities for the North West City Region.
The Taoiseach also updated the Group on the Government’s Shared Island initiative including the commitment to supporting investment and development opportunities in the North West and Border communities and the Shared Island Dialogue series which the North West Strategic Growth Partnership is contributing to.
Speaking after the meeting the Taoiseach said:
“I was pleased to hear first-hand about the work being done in the North West between Derry City and Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council and their strategic partners in the region.
The development of the North-West region is a priority for Government and I look forward to working in partnership in the period ahead supporting the longer-term sustainable growth of the North-West City Region.”
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
€45m investment in Local Authority Homes
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning, Peter Burke TD, and Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan have today (18 February) announced allocations and targets under the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme for Social Housing.
• An initial allocation of €35m for the retrofitting of 1,293 homes
• The balance of funding (€10m) will then be
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine today advised farmers that the application process for the 2021 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and the Greening Scheme has now opened.
Over the coming days, farmers will be receiving a BPS information pack in the post containing maps and land details. The pack will also include a useful help sheet. This information will assist farmers in making their online application. The closing date for BPS applications in 2021 is Monday 17th May. Farmers and advisors are urged to avail of the early opening of the application process now rather than waiting until nearer the closing date.
All elements of the Direct Payments Schemes (BPS, Greening, Young Farmers Scheme, National Reserve, transferring of entitlements, and the Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme) are now online. This helps to ensure that the Department can process all applications under these schemes as efficiently as possible.
From Department of the Taoiseach
The Government welcomes the publication of NESC’s Report 153 Shared Island: Projects, Progress and Policy.
As part of the Government’s Shared Island Initiative NESC has been asked to carry out research and to produce a comprehensive report on the Shared Island in 2021, to inform the development of the Shared Island initiative as a whole of Government priority. The NESC research will contribute to building a shared knowledge base and understanding about possible ways in which greater co-operation can emerge across a number of economic, social and environmental areas in Ireland, North and South, and also between these islands East and West.
The Report sets out NESC’s approach to the
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, today took the first step towards a nationwide ban on the sale and burning of smoky coal and the regulation of other fuels, as part of a drive to combat air pollution and protect public health.
The Minister launched a public consultation to seek views on the further regulation of solid fuel use for domestic home heating, and is inviting the public, health professionals, other experts, NGOs and those involved in the industry to give their views on how Ireland can design and implement rules that will save lives.
Minister Ryan said:
"Clean air is fundamental to our health and quality of life, and is essential for the health of the environment on which we depend. People have no choice about the air they breathe. We as Government have an important role to develop the policies that will deliver cleaner air. It is my intention to bring in a nationwide ban on smoky coal and regulate other fuels as soon as possible."
Under current regulations the sale, marketing,
