Dublin Voice 17-4-2020

dublinvoice April 17, 2020 t: 01 901 5565, e: info@dublinvoice.ie

FREE

free

FREE

.ie

Unit 5, IDEA House, Killarney Road Business Park, Bray

April 17, 2020

dublinvoice April 17, 2020 t: 01 901 5565, e: info@dublinvoice.ie

FREE

free

Beware of the Covid conmen

CRIMINALS have been attempting to use the coronavirus crisis to scam money from unsuspecting members of the public.

Gardaí are investigating a number of scams and have appealed to the public to be alert.

There have been reports in several counties of people disguising themselves as charity workers and going door-to-door

offering to carry out Covid-19 tests on members of the public for cash.

These con-artists have forced the Red Cross to issue a statement saying all their volunteers have identification and that anyone who is concerned about the veracity of members they encounter should ask for the ID. A spokesperson said the crimnals were targeting the

elderly and offering test swabs for €100.

“Please note that we do not offer this service,” said the spokesperson. “Please report this to An Garda Siochana as they are scamming the vulnerable. Our members when out on duty are required to wear full uniform and each member also has to carry their unique membership ID card.”

There are also reports about a

scam in which people receive a text message recommending self-isolation and asking the person to click on a link.

Gardaí warn that this is a fraud - do not click on the link. For accurate information on Covid-19, follow the Government guidelines on gov. ie or HSE.ie.

Continued on next page

FREE

.ie

Unit 5, IDEA House, Killarney Road Business Park, Bray

Sinead O Suilleabhain (4) making a ‘tippy tap’ in her back garden. The device is used in developing countries with no running water. Aid agency GOAL is encouraging them as a fun challenge for children and to raise funds. Report: Page 06

04|

COVID-19 OUTBREAK Don’#t forget to wash your hands

COVID-19 OUTBREAK Don’#t forget to wash your hands

April 17, 2020

If you go down to woods today, you’ll be on your own

There has been a massive 99% drop in visitors to the county’s forests since the Covid-19 restrictions came into effect, Coillte has said.

The State forestry organisation has thanked the public for observing Covid-19 guidelines as it recorded a significant decrease in footfall at its recreational forests since the Government introduced enhanced restrictions on March 27.

Approximately 50 people visited Coillte’s recreational forests at Glenasmole and the Devil’s Glen between March 28 and April 3, compared to 3,600 the previous week.

That is an overall reduction of 99% with Portumna Forest Park in Galway and Ards Forest Park in Donegal seeing similar reductions in visitor numbers of 99%.

Coillte chief executive Imelda Hurley said: “We

wish to thank the public for adhering to the restrictions currently in place at Coillte’s recreational forests across the country.”

Coillte had introduced access restrictions to minimize the spread of Covid-19 in Coillte managed recreational forests across the country which are currently only open to local pedestrians, while all on-site carparking remains closed.

Beware of the Covid conmen Continued from previous page

And people are being urged not to respond to a Facebook page informing them they can renew their drivers license through a link on the social media site.

An Garda Siochana and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) have been made aware of the scam doing the rounds claiming to be from the licensing authority which is asking people to part with €200 so their licence can be renewed.

A statement released by An Garda Síochána said: “The NDLS does not have any official social media pages. The only way to contact the NDLS is through the official RSA social media pages or online through www.rsa.ieor www.ndls.ie.

Bank of Ireland has urged customers to watch out for the following scams. *Fraudulent WhatsApp messages offering banking advice *Suspicious social media posts linking back to fake websites *Requests to dial high-cost phone lines *Calls from fake medical or charitable organisations asking for urgent money transfers.

Coalition ball now in court of smaller parties THE Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil parliamentary parties have given the green light to the joint policy document that could pave the way for the formation of a government.

The smaller parties, whose support is needed, are now considering the proposals. Sinn Féin has dismissed it as “a wish list of vague promises”.

Wicklow’s Sinn Féin TD, John Brady, said the aim of the agreement was to keep Sinn Féin out of government and stitch-up saying it is an attempt to ignore the desire for change among the Irish people.

The 24-page policy plan is aimed at charting a course for economic recovery in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis. It proposes to give the State a greater role in the areas of health, childcare and building homes.

But Mr Brady said: “This stitch-up by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael is not about the Coronavirus. Every political party recognises that the immediate priority right now is public health and saving as many lives as possible.

“Rather, this is an attempt to exclude Sinn Féin and all those who voted for change, this trajectory by those two parties

had begun before Covid-19 ever reached Irish soil.

“The paper produced by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael is an insult to those who want a change in direction.

The promises of those two parties to fundamentally reverse the policies they have championed for decades would be laughable were this not such a serious matter.”

TDs and senators from FF and FG considered the document at meetings conducted online.

There was little dissent at either meeting although some concern was expressed at both about how the pledges would be funded.

There were also worries about what such a government would mean for the longterm identity of the parties .

Fine Gael Minister of State, Johnn Paul Phelan, the Ferrybank TD, is reported to have told the party that he has deep reservations that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael could end up in a “death struggle” after such a government. Minister for Rural Affairs Michael Ring spoke against a coalition and Agriculture Minister Michael Creed expressed concern but said he cold see no alternative.

Tractor hadn’t been taxed for 5,459 days The owner of a tractor stopped at a Covid-19 checkpoint has been making hay while the sun shines.

When he was stopped at a Covid-19 checkpoint in Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow, gardai were stunned to discover the farmer hadn’t bothered to tax his tractor for a grand total of 5,459 days.

A Garda spokesperson

urged farmers to ensure their tractors are taxed up to date.

The spokesperson tweeted: “Make sure your vehicle is taxed.

WThis tractor was stopped by roads policing in Newtownmountkennedy and they discovered this vehicle hadn’t been taxed in 5,000 days.”

Buying? Selling? Contact us today t: 01 901 5565

April 17, 2020

|05

06 |

Nursing home staff needed

A call has gone out across the county for any healthcare staff to make themselves available as the nursing crisis in our healthcare facilities and nursing homes reaches crisis point.

Speaking on behalf of the sector, Ann Byrne of Drakelands House nursing home in Kilkenny said: “There is a serious shortage of nurses and carers at the moment.”

She made the call for anyone who may have retired from the health system and who feels they can be of assistance at this time, is asked to contact any of the nursing homes or care facilities and they will be guided in the right direction.

This call for healthcare workers comes as a World Health Organisation report established there is a shortfall of six million nurses worldwide.

The first “State of the World’s Nursing” report, which is published to mark World Health Day yesterday revealed there is a global aging nursing workforce, particularly in Europe; there is a global shortage of 5.9m nurses; and in high-income countries like Ireland, we have an “excessive reliance” on international nursing mobility.

April 17, 2020

Samaritans make appeal Hold onto your

Trócaire box and start tip tapping

Samaritans Ireland is appealing to the people of the county for donations to help ensure its volunteers can continue to support people struggling to cope during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Samaritans is a critical service, needed now more than ever,” Executive Director of Samaritans Ireland, Niall Mulligan said.

“Our dedicated volunteers are going above and beyond to be available for those in need during these unprecedented times and continue to operate our phone service from our branches wherever

possible. “We are making every effort to ensure that we are able to provide emotional support to anyone in crisis.

However, Covid-19 is changing our lives and our services are under strain.

“Now more than ever, we need the public’s continued support, so we are calling on the generosity of the Irish public to help us ensure that we continue to be here for anyone who needs support.

“A donation to our emergency appeal will help us work faster on different ways to be there and reach those who are struggling to cope.

To make a donation and find out other ways you can support Samaritans please visit: https:// www.samaritans.org/ireland/ samaritans-ireland/

TRÓCAIRE has urged the people of the county to hold onto their Trócaire boxes until it is safe to return them .

The agency’s Lent campaign continued despite the COVID-19 pandemic, but Trócaire cancelled all face-toface events and outreach work.

A local Trócaire worker said this would reduce the money it can spend in the developing world.

“We are urging people to please keep a hold of their Trócaire boxes and return them when it is safe and possible to do so,” they said.

“In the meantime, we are urgently trying to save lives during the Coronavirus outbreak.

“Supporters can continue to make donations online or over the phone to fund this work.”

You can support Trócaire’s work and Lenten 2020 campaign at trocaire.org/ donate or phone 1850 408 408.

Humanitarian aid agency GOAL, meanwhile, is calling on families throughout the

county to build their own ‘tippy tap’ hand-washing device to highlight issues facing vulnerable communities around the world fighting the coronavirus.

A tippy tap is a simple but ingenious device used in many developing countries to wash hands when there is no access to running water. It can be built using an empty plastic container, sticks and string, easy to find even during lockdown.

The #GOALTippyTapTag online campaign provides a fun activity at a time when we are all confined, but will also send out a message that while we may be far apart in this time of a global pandemic, we can stand together in solidarity no matter where we are in the world.

Tippy Tap Tag will be taking place online including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can find details on how to build your very own tippy tap at https://www.goalglobal. org/goaltippytaptag/

COMMUNITIES and voluntary groups across Waterford city and county are receiving more than €70,000 to help them provide vital services during the Covid-19 emergency .

The money comes from a national fund of €2.5 milion provided by the Department of Rural and C o m m u n i t y Development.

The purpose of the Community Call is to coordinate community activity and direct community assistance to where it is needed, with particular focus is on the elderly and the most vulnerable.

The Local Enterprise Office has welcomed the expansion of supports for businesses impacted by COVID-19, Businesses in the county that

previously benefitted from the Trading Online Voucher Scheme can apply for a second voucher of up to €2,500, with co-funding of 10%.

The voucher can be used to help add payment or booking systems to websites, along with subscriptions to low-cost online retailing platform solutions.

Meanwhile, Minister for Business Heather Humphreys has announced further measures to help businesses cope with liquidity challenges posed by the Covid-19 restrictions.

Among the developments is a €450m expansion of two loan schemes operated by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI).

The Working Capital Loan Scheme, which provides

liquidity support to businesses, will receive a further €250m, bringing the total fund to €450m.

The government has also amended the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme by increasing the level of wage subsidy to employers for lower paid workers in a bid to retain them in employment, rather than going on welfare.

The maximum state subsidy for workers earning below €24,400 will rise from 70% to 85% of net take home pay.

The move comes as some employers have claimed some lower-paid and part-time workers are quitting jobs to avail of the €350 Covid 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment because they were better off on welfare.

“For more than 50 years, Samaritans has provided a listening ear to anyone who needs support, which has been possible through the public’s kind donations.

“A donation as little as €5 will help volunteers to answer a call for help from someone struggling to cope and be there when people need support the most.”

Extra funds for volunteers and small firms

Details about business supports can be found at LocalEnterprise.ie

April 17, 2020

| 07

08 |

April 17, 2020

Update on Available Supports to business and Information on Upcoming Webinars To reserve places on the webinars contact us on 053 919 6020 info@leo.wexfordcoco.ie LEO is here to support businesses during COVID-19 Our 31 Local Enterprise Offices have responded to COVID-19 by adapting many of their business supports so they can be availed of remotely.

For information on the supports available, go to http://localenterprise.ie/response If you want to be kept updated over the coming weeks on changes and supports available go to https://www.localenterprise.ie/Wexford scroll down the page and enter your details into the sign up box.

Update on Covid-19 supports available:

Business Continuity Vouchers which are worth €2,500 can be used by companies and sole traders to develop short-term and long-term strategies to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Micro Finance Ireland Covid 19 Loans The Covid-19 Business Loan from Microfinance Ireland is a Government-funded initiative to support small businesses through the current period of uncertainty, aimed at protecting jobs and allowing businesses to continue to trade.

If your business has less than 10 employees and you have been impacted by Covid-19 and cannot secure bank finance, the MFI Covid19 Business Loan may be an alternative funding solution.

The first 6 months are interest free and a moratorium on repayments for 6 months.

For further Information please email: info@leo.wexfordcoco.ie.

Please note that applying through your Local Enterprise Office entitles you to a reduction in the interest rate on your loan. Terms and conditions apply.

Mentoring. Clients work with an experienced mentor to identify solutions to areas of exposure within their business. With advice and guidance from their mentor, clients develop strategies that are more robust, which address issues and maximise potential opportunities around Covid-19 challenges.

Trading Online Voucher Scheme. This scheme is a matched-funding opportunity with up to €2,500 available and funding can be used towards eligible costs such as digital marketing strategies, e-commerce websites or app development.

TRAINING For the week of Monday 12th April Sign up at https://www.localenterprise.ie/Wexford Creating Online Opportunities for Business 15/04/2020

The Coronavirus is affecting business and consumer behaviour on a massive scale and we know that businesses are under threat and experts are predicting changes across industries. But, this is also likely to boost digital media platforms as people have to now spend more time at home and are using online platforms to communicate with friends and loved ones. This online course will help participants to create online opportunities using online platforms for customer engagement, interaction and sales.

Trainers: Fiona McGuire, Join The Dots Online Venue: Online Date: 15/04/2020 Time: 09:30 - 13:00

Smart Sales and Marketing Beyond Challenges 16/04/2020

This workshop will support and help business owners/managers to adapt their sales and marketing efforts now in a way that will help their business to grow and reach their ideal clients post COVID-19.

The items for focus will include and may not be limited to the following: Smart sales and marketing assessment The online value Recession proof revenue routes Market diversification The new sales pitch Growth strategy beyond COVID-19 Your revised sales and marketing strategy Workshop and business practicals will be included in real time Trainers: Mags Boland, Bofin Consultancy

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO TRADING ONLINE VOUCHER up to €2,500 grant available

Important chances have now been made to the trading online voucher to facilitate businesses strengthening their online presence during this time of uncertainty.

The previous requirement of 50% equal spend to received the voucher has now been reduced to to 10%.

You can now use the voucher for subscriptions to low cost online retail platforms in order to setup your online shop.

For those who have already received a voucher they may now apply for a second if they require to upgrade the ecommerce capacity of their website.

| 09

April 17, 2020

Comhairle Contae

053 919 6000 www.wexfordcoco.ie customerservice@wexfordcoco.ie

Loch Garman

Carricklawn, Wexford Y35 WY93

Wexford County Council – Comhairle Contae Loch Garman

COVID-19

Community Support Helpline Assistance will be provided for medical, food and fuel needs

053 919 6000 c o v i d s u p p o r t @ wex fo rd c o c o . i e

Lines open: 9am - 5pm 7 days per week Please help us locate you by knowing your Eircode.

You can Google “Eircode Finder” or use the direct link below:

https://finder.eircode.ie

Thank you to all Volunteering Groups who have pledged their support.

10 |

April 17, 2020

opinion&comment

Ups and downs of indoor athletics

S

taying in is the new going out and twiddling your thumbs has become a training exercise as people learn how to keep fit without leaving their living rooms.

I have been developing a little routine myself and I thought I might share it with you. I have, in fact, been working on this for some time now, but since the lockdown I have got it off to perfection.

It is very simple and requires no expensive equipment - no rowing machines or cross trainers, or any sort of special gear.

All you need is a set of stairs, a pair of reading glasses and a coffee-maker. When you get proficient you may want to add a few other household items to your fitness pack, but those three will do to get you started.

It works like this.

I remember something I have left in a bedroom. It is a very important something and urgently required for the very important things I am about to do.

So I go upstairs to fetch it.

Michael Wolsey

I get distracted by something that is also very important, like the headline in an old newspaper which is lying on the bed.

It’s shocking news. Or rather it was shocking news last week.

Today it’s old news .

Unfortunately this old news has made me forget the very important thing I came upstairs to fetch. So I go back down. A more recent newspaper is on the table. It may have better news, so I look for my glasses to check it out.

My late wife was very good at finding my glasses. She could

never find her own but she was great at finding mine. I am not so good - and if I don’t find them I will not be able to do those very important things.

I check in the kitchen. No sign of the glasses but I see the cof-

fee machine has a capsule ready for insertion. I left it there before I got distracted by the very important things I have to do.

I’ll make that coffee now but ... I wonder are my glasses upstairs? I sometimes leave them

upstairs in the room with the computer. I go up and into the bedroom. This is not the computer room, I know, but I’ve a very important thing to collect here. If only I could remember what it is. My glasses? No - they

might be in the computer room, though. But there’s no sign of them there so I go downstairs.

Hey, here are the glasses. In the kitchen, beside the coffee machine.

Wrong. Beside the coffee machine is the case for the glasses but it is empty. Where are the actual glasses? Upstairs, I’ll bet. I’ll just put on this coffee and then I’ll check.

Or maybe I should look for the glasses first. I have very important things to be doing, after all.

I go upstairs.

On an average day I may make 40 pointless journeys up the stairs. Add to that another 40 necessary return journeys and I’m notching up a minimarathon every 24 hours. Frustrated but fit, that’s me.

I note that two researchers at the University of Toronto have concluded that forgetting is just as important as remembering.

“It’s important that the brain forgets irrelevant details and instead focuses on the stuff that’s going to help make decisions in the real world,” they say.

Very wise. I must remember that.

April 17, 2020

| 11

12 |

April 17, 2020

We’re here to help!

Citizens Information Centres (CICs) are here to help during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic providing you with information and advice on a range of areas of concern: • Employment and income supports: new COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, Short Time Work Support, employment rights during the COVID-19 restrictions, enhanced Illness Benefit or Supplementary Welfare Allowance • Mortgage, loans and rent:

information on various measures to support domestic households and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic (liaising with MABS) • Housing: information on supports to protect tenants impacted by COVID-19 • Utilities: information on measures in place to help you remain connected to your electricity and gas supplies during this period • Education: providing you with updates as these become available

• Immigration: employment permits, advice for English language students • Travel: information about holiday cancellations and other related issues, HSE advice if you are arriving in Ireland from another country, information if you are planning to travel to another country • Older people: information on supports for older people during the coronavirus pandemic

• Other general queries: unrelated to COVID-19

National phone service: 0761 07 4000 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (this may revert to 8pm in the near future) Log on: www.citizensinformation.ie We are here to help you access all of your rights and entitlements and your queries will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

We regret we are not in a position to provide a drop in service at this time.

| 13

April 17, 2020

WILDLIFE

ninenottomiss

April Flowers

book of the week

with Justin Ivory

April showers.....we’ve certainly had our fair share of them in the last few weeks or so! There is an upside though.

All that rain mixed with some sunshine and warmer temperatures leads to lots of April flowers.

Our countryside, hedgerows, parks and gardens are bursting into a dazzling kaleidoscope of yellows, whites and purples/ blues, enough to brighten any dark, wet day.

With the collapse in pollinators and insects in general, every one of these wildflowers is worth its weight in gold as a food source to our invertebrate populations.

Below is a selection of flowers that were on display on a recent short walk near my house. Keep your eye out for these and others in the next week.

If you struggle with plant identification then there are good free apps that can identify plants from a photo you take with your phone.

Otherwise just take a shot and look it up online or in a good id guide later.

Common Fumitory (Photo Justin Ivory)

tv show of the week

HOROSCOPES

film of the week

lockdown

By Peter May

The tommy tiernan RTÉ One, Saturdays, 10.25pm

contagion Netflix and various streaming sites

Many writers may be setting out to chronicle Covid-19, but Peter May has already done it. In 2005, he wrote a crime novel set against the backdrop of a bird flu pandemic. London is in lockdown; a hospital is erected in Lambeth Palace when the bones of a child are found in a suitcase and detective Jack MacNeil is told to investigate. The book was never published because “Editors at the time thought my portrayal of London under siege by the invisible enemy of H5N1 was unrealistic,” writes May in a foreword, which is out in ebook, with a paperback to follow.

Improvised chat show in which neither the presenter nor the studio audience are told the identity of the guests in advance. With the comedian in the dark about who he will be interviewing until they walk out to greet him, anything can happen - especially if Tommy doesn’t have a clue who they are. Obviously RTE are showing repeats at the moment but still worth a look as Tommy is always entertaining - even if the guests always aren’t!

If ever there was a film for our times it’s this.

Released in 2011, it’s as if they had a crystal ball for what’s happening right now. The plot concerns the spread of a virus which originates in China and attempts by medical researchers and public health officials to identify and contain the disease, a lockdown and the loss of social order in a pandemic, and the introduction of a vaccine to halt its spread.

Its ensemble cast includes Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Bryan Cranston, Jennifer Ehle, and Sanaa Lathan.

charity of the week

service of the week

kids film of the week

ISPCA www.ispca.ie

samaritans CAll 116 123

lady and the tramp Disney+

The ISPCA has issued an appeal for funds after the animal chairty saw a significant drop in its fundraising. “ISPCA is greatly concerned to already see a shortfall in fundraising income due to the COVID-19 crisis,” the organisations has said. “Our vital services are dangerously stretched at a time when many of our fundraising activities have been cancelled or postponed. “But our life-saving work cannot stop. That’s why we’re launching an EMERGENCY APPEAL to help ensure all vital animal welfare services continue during this unprecedented crisis and beyond.”

Samaritans Ireland is appealing for donations to help ensure its volunteers can continue to support people struggling to cope during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Samaritans is a critical service, needed now more than ever,” Executive Director of Samaritans Ireland, Niall Mulligan said. Those worried about their own mental health or someone else during the coronavirus outbreak can find some useful online resources and advice on the Samaritanswebsite - www.samaritans.org

In this timeless retelling of the 1955 animated classic, a pampered house dog and a tough but lovable stray embark on an unexpected adventure and, despite their differences, grow closer and come to understand the value of home. The film was released direct to Disney+, making it the first Disney remake to not receive a theatrical release but on an on-demand streaming service platform. If you’re looking for a reason to splash out the €6.99 a month for the Disney+, this is as good a reason as any to get it. The kids will love it, while the parents will enjoy the trip down memory lane.’

radio show of the week documentary of the week

Lesser Celandine (Photo Justin Ivory)

Bugloss (Photo Justin Ivory)

Taurus- This week is an 8 Friends help out.

Collaborate on the structural and logistical details. Make sure you’ve handled the basics before elaborating.

Gemini- This week is an 8 Navigate a professional challenge by focusing on organization, discipline and coordinated action. Work completed now can have long-term benefit.

Cancer- This week is an 8 You can get what you need to take a trip. An older person makes an interesting proposition. Don’t overlook what loved ones need.

Leo- This week is an 8 Investments made now can have long-term benefit.

Strengthen by reinforcing foundations and supports.

replay of the week

Blackthorn flower (Photo Justin Ivory)

Aries- This week is a 7 Do the groundwork to realize a vision. Strategize and review priorities.

Postpone travels, and take care of business behind the scenes.

Virgo- This week is an 8 Collaborate with your partner to realize a shared dream. Strengthen infrastructure. Find an inspiration that sings for both of you.

Libra- This week is an 8 Keep your fitness goals.

Disciplined action builds long-term strength and health. Demands for your attention abound.

Scorpio- This week is an 8 Keep practicing to improve your game. Focus on technique, and learn through repetition. Get coaching from a trusted expert.

Sagittarius- This week is an 8

Make repairs and renovations. Coordinate with your family for shared priorities. Get creative.

RTÉ Sport Classics RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player at 9.30pm Thursdays

moncrieff Newstalk, Mon- Fri 2pm-4pm

amy Available on streaming sites

RTÉ Sport is set to re-show unforgettable games, goals and some of the greatest sporting hits over the next 10 weeks. For the as-live experience, viewers will be able to follow the games online with live blogs on the RTÉ website and RTÉ News Now app and, over on RTÉ 2FM, Game On will feature interviews with the main protagonists to whet appetites.

Meanwhile, Game On continues Monday to Friday on RTÉ 2FM from 6-7pm with Marie Crowe, Donncha O’Callaghan and Ruby Walsh featuring a mix of the latest news and features.

From the bizarre to the intellectual, this multiaward-winning show is the most eclectic on Irish radio. Covering politics, history, popular culture, sex, farming, parenting, religion, psychology, international news, science, philosophy and pretty much everything else, Moncrieff will make you think and laugh - and throw in some Friday Movies & Booze for good measure.

Amy Winehouse had a voice that sealed her destiny as a music icon at a young age, but her fate became more twisted than anyone could have ever expected. This heart-wrenching biopic destigmatizes Winehouse’s infamous “party girl” record, providing a second look into the once-in-a-generation talent’s personal life and career, as well as a retrospective into how the world lost her.

Capricorn- This week is an 8 Capture brilliant ideas as they inspire you. Intellectual discovery provides a thrill.

What you uncover now has long-term implications.

Aquarius-This week is a 9 Abundance is available.

Gather up more than you spend for a positive balance.

Make agreements, and sign contracts.

Pisces- This week is a 9 Take ground with a personal project. What you do now can have long-term benefit.

Provide the leadership to take it to a new level.

14 |

COVID-19 OUTBREAK Don’#t forget to wash your hands

COVID-19 OUTBREAK Don’#t forget to wash your hands

dublinvoice.ie April 17, 2020

Rental properties up by 71% during Covid-19 There was a 71% increase in the number of rental properties coming on the market in central Dublin in the past five weeks compared to the same period last year, according to property website Daft.ie.

Between 13 March and 16 April, there were 964 rental listings in central Dublin, compared to 563 last year.

However, the figures show that while there was a big increase in rental listings in central Dublin, outside the capital the number of properties available for rent fell by 25%.

Ronan Lyons, an economist at Trinity College Dublin, said this suggests that the increase in properties available in central Dublin is a result of short term lets like Airbnb coming onto the long-term market and not necessarily due to migrants or students moving home.

“If it was students you would see it around UCD and DCU as well as central Dublin and this is not really showing up in the data. What is showing up is

Dublin Waste to Energy lights up in blue to honour Healthcare and Emergency Services workers. Pic: Photo Chris Bellew /Fennell Photography

there is an increase in rental listings typically where you would see short term lets.”

Mr Lyons also said there has been a huge fall off in the num-

ber of properties being put up for sale.

“If you look at the week starting 5 April there was an 80% fall in the number of listings in

2020 compared 2019.

“With the exception of the central Dublin rental market the rest of the property market is slowing down because

[the] day-to-day life of being able to go and see a property is more complicated now people are putting things off and hoping things pick up in the near future.”

The Covid-19 crisis has put the brakes on the Irish property market as selling and buying of property has effectively been put on ice.

Experts say the market had been making a strong recovery in the first quarter of this year as fears around Brexit abated.

However, the property market is largely based on consumer confidence which has plunged since the pandemic hit.

Spokesperson for the Real Estate Agency Barry McDonald said the Covid-19 crisis has pushed the pause button on the buying and selling of property.

“We are in uncharted territory, no one knows how this will affect the market. Obviously if we can come out of this in the short term the expectation is that we should return to reasonably back to where we are at.”

| 15

April 17, 2020

insideback

Hopefully sport will be back soon

S

ome of you may have seen the piece in The Irish Times recently where the results of a survey about which soccer teams people in Ireland support was published.

The survey was carried out

by Empathy Research for the forthcoming book ‘An Atlas of Irish Sport’, to be published later in the spring by Cork University Press.

The survey threw up no surprises, but was still a useful exercise, as is any updated poll on teams, bands, clothes, politicians or whatever.

Likes and dislikes go out of fashion quickly, depending on the subject matter; in the case of which soccer teams we like here, little seems to have changed in recent times though.

The survey results indicated that about half of our population support a soccer team. Manchester United and Liverpool remain the biggest draws at the box office, with more than a million combined supporters in the Republic.

Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham also featured in the Top Ten, with the other places in it going to Barcelona, Celtic, Cork City and Dundalk. No Real Madrid, no Bray Wanderers,

no Rochdale (my team)! The placing of two SSE Airtricity League Premier Division teams in such a national poll, albeit on single figure shares of the vote, was a relief to see.

These are the two sides that

have dominated the game here for the last decade, and if that hadn’t filtered up to some kind of national-level support then you would have to worry about the futility of success at a domestic level.

The poll complemented its national findings with a deepdive into the regions to find out how support differed on a more granular level in these areas.

While the big teams from the English Premier League still

dominated, there were decent showings for Sligo, Galway and Finn Harps in ConnaughtUlster, and Shamrock Rovers, St Patrick’s Athletic and Bohemians in Dublin.

The survey had some interesting results from the questionnaires the participants filled out.

For example, people gave their reasons for supporting their team of choice. Amongst the predictable answers such as living in the catchment area, liking the strip, liking a particular player or friends or family supported that team so they followed suit, some participants picked their side because of a historical link or just liking the name of the club.

Of course, we are in the unreal situation at the moment of not being able to follow our team or teams of choice.

We will hopefully get back here in June but the UK leagues look like being declared void.

Strange days indeed.

- Brian Quigley

16 |

dublinvoice.ie April 17, 2020