€55m Tourism Business Continuity Scheme is now open for applications
The Tourism Business Continuity Scheme will provide support to providers of certain tourism services who have been unable to qualify for assistance under the government's Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS).
It is designed to help these tourism businesses offset their fixed costs incurred last year and support them to continue operating through 2021.
Full details of the Scheme, which is being administered by Fáilte Ireland, are available on its website.
Statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team - Thursday 11 February
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 52 additional deaths related to COVID-19.
33 of these deaths occurred in February, 12 occurred in January, 6 in December or earlier and 1 is still under investigation.
The median age of those who died was 83 years and the age range was 55 - 96 years.
There has been a total of 3,846 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.
As of midnight Wednesday 10 February, the HPSC has been notified of 866 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
There has now been a total of 206,801* confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.
(*Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of 4 cases. The figure of 206,801 cases reflects this.)
Of the cases notified today:
As of 8am today, 984 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 172 are in ICU. There have been 44 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.
As of 8 February, there have been 243,353 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in Ireland:
- 154,900 people have received their first dose
- 88,453 people have received their second dose
Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said:
"We are cautiously optimistic about the epidemiological situation across the country. This positive momentum has been achieved through the dedication of people across the country in recent weeks. However, incidence and mortality rates are still very high, and the significant risk of community transmission of the virus remains, especially for those most vulnerable to COVID-19 infection. It is of vital importance that people continue to stay at home and to work from home where at all possible."
Professor Karina Butler, Chair of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee said:
"As of this week, we have administered 243,353 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. This is a wonderful achievement and I want to thank all our vaccine administration teams for their dedication and hard work. We hope that as our vaccination numbers go up, we can offer more protection to those who are vaccinated and ultimately the wider population. But, until that time, all of us, including those of us who have received our COVID-19 vaccines, must maintain our adherence to all of the other public health measures like washing our hands and social distancing."
Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said:
"In the last week, the HSE has begun to test close contacts of confirmed cases. This is a positive move as it clearly shows that we are back in the containment phase of this pandemic. However, the positivity rates among household contacts are quite high, close to 30%. This is a timely reminder to us all to immediately isolate ourselves if we have any symptoms, to protect those most important to us. We should also continue to limit our social contacts. Do not visit another person’s household unless you are providing essential care."
Dr Lorraine Doherty, National Clinical Director Health Protection, HSE - Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), said:
"The COVID-19 find-test-trace-isolate’ process is vital to our efforts. We all need to contact our GP as soon as symptoms occur, to go for a test, trace our contacts if our test is positive and prevent further infections. It is important to remember that everyone can access testing free of charge. Testing and contact tracing are vital to our ongoing collective efforts to minimise the spread of COVID-19."
The COVID-19 data hub 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.
Speech by Minister Donohoe to the European Financial Forum 2021: Leading the Economic Recovery
Check Against Delivery
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Introduction
I am delighted to take part in the 6th edition of the European Financial Forum.
Unlike last year, we are meeting online today.
I must admit it I do miss physical meetings. Nevertheless, I am still delighted to be here today and I look forward to engaging with you all.
We are all conscious that we are living in unusual and challenging times.
Right across this continent and right across the globe, people of all ages have had to adapt to what we have euphemistically come to call the ‘new normal’.
Covid-19 has generated the greatest crisis of our times, exposing inequalities and vulnerabilities both within and among countries.
It has also showed us another face of globalisation – the emergence of a global risk, one that cannot be resolved by one country alone, but addressing it effectively requires cooperation.
Eurogroup response
As President of the Eurogroup, I have been able to witness first-hand the economic policy response to this pandemic. European institutions and Member States reacted swiftly to mitigate the socio-economic fallout of the Covid-19 crisis.
Collectively and rapidly, we prepared the ground for recovery and we demonstrated our capacity to act together when it matters most.
The Eurogroup continues to act as a catalyst for sound policies both in the recovery and beyond.
Citizens need a strong European economy, with the euro at its heart, to drive economic recovery and the return to a sustainable growth path.
We have demonstrated our unity of purpose at Eurogroup in pursuing a countercyclical budgetary stance.
The results of our efforts are magnified when we coordinate our approach - whether rising to meet new challenges posed by the pandemic, or on existing issues like building a resilient and competitive Banking Union.
In November last year, we took an important step with the agreement on the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) Treaty.
I am happy to report that all Member States have now signed the ESM Treaty and the Single Resolution Fund Amending Agreements.
This is an important milestone for the Eurogroup.
Following the ratification of the Treaty, the ESM will become the backstop to the Single Resolution Fund (SRF), taking us a step closer towards completing the Banking Union, which will make our Economic and Monetary Union more resilient.
Other factors also suggest that there are grounds for cautious optimism about the prospects for the European economy.
There is the EU trade deal with the UK, the new US Administration, and the prospect of Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) funds reaching Member States in the second half of this year.
The agreement on Recovery and Resilience Facility is the last and biggest building block put in place for the Next Generation EU.
This year, the focus is resolutely on coordinating our policies to shield citizens from as much economic harm as we can.
Time is of the essence to roll out the measures that we agreed and to set ourselves on the path for a sustainable recovery.
Digital Finance
In the past year, we have seen how the pandemic has accelerated the move to digital for the financial services sector.
My Department is working with the European Commission on key policy proposals such as strengthening the digital and operational resilience of the financial system.
This is part of a package of measures to further enable and support the potential of digital finance while mitigating the risks.
This involves examining how to bring about a more efficient and secure financial system, for both businesses and consumers across the Euro zone.
We are strongly supportive of the European Commission’s New Digital Finance Strategy, which will facilitate the scaling of innovation cross-border, while ensuring high standards of consumer protection.
Digital Euro
It is important that Europe stays at the forefront of new technologies in payments and banking and to that end, we continue to participate in the digital euro project with great interest.
A digital euro will have profound implications for fundamental freedoms, including privacy and data protection as well as offering huge opportunities for financial efficiency, inclusion and security.
As such, the need for close political oversight is clear.
Being also so closely connected to the issue of Economic and Monetary Union means this is a top priority for my colleagues at Eurogroup.
The ECB has completed its public consultation and we look forward to engaging with a broad range of stakeholders to explore how to take this project forward.
International role of the Euro
The euro is the second most widely used currency in terms of its share of global payments.
The international role of the euro is underpinned by the resilience and stability of our financial architecture and financial markets.
As part of Europe's commitment to an open, competitive and rules-based global economy, we will continue to work on enhancing the international role of the euro.
The currency, at its heart, is an expression of our shared values. It can also be at the heart of the economic recovery and recapitalisation of businesses in the EU and internationally.
Green and Sustainable Finance
On Green and Sustainable Finance, we continue to progress toward our ambition to be a global financial hub.
The EU’s European Green Deal and its upcoming Renewed Sustainable Finance Strategy are key policy initiatives that will frame our work in the critical path to reach the EU’s 2030 energy and climate targets.
As we approach COP26 in a few months’ time, it is important that policy makers and investors have the ability to develop a full suite of financial instruments to fund the ambitious transition to a low carbon greener and more sustainable economy.
Ireland is ideally position to play a central role in this agenda, in the EU and globally.
By further improving convergence of these and other policies across Europe, we are one-step closer to completing the Capital Markets Union.
Ireland’s Future Ambition for Financial Services
This Government continues to support further development and growth of International Financial Services (IFS) here in Ireland.
The Programme for Government where Ireland for Finance is our key strategy, underlines our commitment to further deepen and diversify IFS in Ireland.
The 3rd Action Plan, launched today, showcases our collective ambition to promote Ireland as a global destination where some of the world’s premier financial services institutions, and best talent, are located.
We are now a number of weeks into the new, post Brexit, relationship between the UK and the EU.
What is clear internationally is that the EU is committed to building an open financial system and one that plays an active role globally.
It is also clear to us here in Ireland that Brexit has emerged as an inflection point in the development of our IFS sector.
The pattern of investments in the wake of Brexit points to a transformation in the nature, scale and complexity of the industry here.
The sector, which has always been an important pillar of the Irish economy, has become broader and more diverse with more firms carrying out a greater range of regulated activities than at any time.
We are an international centre that is committed to the EU and its future growth and development, including a greater role for the euro on the global stage.
At the same time, we are the only common law jurisdiction and the largest English speaking EU Member State.
Innovation has been at the core of our development and we have a hinterland of leading ICT, cloud and software firms in Ireland that are increasingly interconnected with the future of financial services.
A combination of firms relocating from the UK along with some entering the EU Single Market for the first time has joined a vibrant international financial services ecosystem in Ireland.
Many of the most exciting firms in financial services from across the world are choosing Ireland to build and develop the sophisticated technologies that will finance the digital and climate transitions.
This makes us uniquely prepared to play a leading role in the future development of the Single Market for financial services and to create a strong and resilient financial system for Europe in the process.
Conclusion
In Europe, we took bold steps in 2019, committing to climate neutrality and digital finance. This resulted in our European Green Deal and, in parallel, we forged an ambitious new Digital Agenda.
The green and digital transformation of our economies require investment.
In 2020, we made good on our word to prioritise the green and digital transformation with ground-breaking decisions at European level to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 across the European Union.
That is why the completion of the Banking Union and the reinforcement of the Capital Markets Union are of great importance to help unlock additional funding for our transformation.
We have reached a decisive moment. In 2021, we will emerge stronger if we continue supporting each other and working together.
This is what I am relentlessly working towards.
Lastly, I would like to thank IDA, and my colleagues in the Department of Finance, for yet another successful EFF event, and I look forward to seeing you in person next year.
Thank you very much.
Minister Byrne meets with French and German counterparts to discuss Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol
Minister Foley welcomes the commencement of the review of the School Transport Scheme
Minister for Education Norma Foley TD is pleased to announce that the review of the School Transport Scheme has commenced, with the initial meeting of the Steering Group having been held earlier today.
Minister Foley said:
“In October 2019, my predecessor announced a review of the school transport scheme with a view to taking a fresh look at the service and its broader effectiveness and sustainability. Given the evolving situation with Covid-19 the work of the Steering Group had been delayed. However, today’s meeting has recommenced this process, which will continue over the coming period. The review is being conducted to ensure that the school transport is fit for purpose and that it serves students and their families adequately.
“This review will also build on the proposals in the Programme for Government as they relate to school transport, including examining the options to reduce car journeys and assessing how the School Transport Scheme can work in liaison with the Safe Routes to Schools Programme; examining the options for providing a better value and a better service for students, including and examining issues such as the nearest or next-nearest school.”
Other issues under consideration include the efficiency of the service and to also examine potential scope for a more co-ordinated approach involving other Government departments involved in transport services.
It is planned that the Steering Group will report to the Minister on an interim basis as the review progresses, with a view to presenting a final report later this year with recommendations on the future operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme.
Statement from the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management on Severe Weather
A Severe Weather Coordination meeting, was held today (Thursday, 11 February 2021), to review the weather forecast for the coming days, including the potential impact of snow and provide all key stakeholders with this information directly to enable relevant preparations to take place.
The Department’s National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) Crisis Management Team continues to meet daily, working with Met Éireann, OPW, local authorities and other Government Departments and agencies to monitor the forecasts and their predicted impacts.
Yellow weather warnings for snow/ice and wind are in place for Munster, Connacht and Leinster until Friday morning. Strong to gale force southeast winds in conjunction with rain, sleet and snow bring with them the potential for poor visibility and hazardous conditions.
Forecasts at present indicate a band of sleet and snow will gradually extend northeastward from Munster during Thursday with snow accumulations of up to 5cm anticipated in some areas but possibly higher over the mountains. Snow and sleet will transition to rain in the West and South on Thursday night. Overnight tonight temperatures are forecast to drop as low as -2oC in some areas.
Current indications are for some lingering wintery falls in Leinster early on Friday morning, rain will persist over southern counties on Friday, with a further band of heavy rain arriving later in the evening. Highest temperatures of 4 to 8 oC in Munster, but staying colder across the rest of the country with highs of only 1 to 4 oC.
A yellow rain warning has been issued for counties Cork, Kerry and Waterford for early Saturday morning until Saturday Midday. A further yellow warning for snow/ice affecting 20 counties (Carlow, Cavan, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Laois, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Westmeath, Wexford, and Wicklow) has been issued for early Saturday morning until Saturday Midday.
Local authorities, Department of Transport, An Garda Síochána and HSE all outlined their levels of preparedness for this severe weather.
NDFEM Crisis Management Team are continuing to monitor this evolving situation with Met Éireann, and the relevant stakeholders.
The NDFEM advises that all unnecessary travel should continue to be avoided in line with current Public Health advice. When travelling for essential purposes people should pay close attention to local conditions and advice from Local Authorities.
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