Covid-19: Government moves to take away people’s takeaway pints

Good morning.

It is four weeks since Ireland’s second lockdown began, and today the Government will review progress and consider the prospects for the coming weeks.

Don’t get your hopes up, though, as there is zero chance of an early end to the lockdown, a prospect entertained in some circles when the measures were introduced last month.

In fact, as we report this morning, things are moving in the opposite direction – Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly will today tell his colleagues at Cabinet he proposes to tighten the restrictions about the outdoor consumption of alcohol purchased from pubs on a takeaway basis. Yep, he’s gunning for the takeaway pints.

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Yesterday afternoon the word from Government was that it intended to ban the sale of takeaway drinks from pubs for the remaining two weeks of the Level 5 lockdown. A hasty consultation with the Attorney General later, it became apparent it would be more practical to ban the consumption of the booze rather than its sale.

This is in response to the scenes of pint-drinking, cocktail-slurping and general drink-guzzling that were widely reported at the weekend, notably in Dublin but also prosecuted with some enthusiasm in other parts of the country. Meanwhile, the nosedive in case numbers has stalled somewhat.

In the background is the ongoing dialogue between the Government and its public health experts in Nphet over how extensive and at what pace the reopening of commercial and social life should be in December. Nphet, you won’t be surprised to hear, is on the conservative side of the argument; the Government, considering it has a wider remit to consider the economic and social effects of lockdown, is more inclined to open up as expansively as it can.

Much positioning and behind-the-scenes manoeuvring will take place over the coming weeks, and while Government is inclined towards opening, it still has doubts and fears over the prospect of open pubs and thirsty emigrants returning home.

Our lead story is here. Paul Cullen's analysis is here. Meanwhile, a psychiatrist warns on the mental health effects of the pandemic.

Woulfe controversy rumbles on

The other running story you’ll hear plenty about today is the rift involving the Chief Justice Frank Clarke and the rest of the Supreme Court judges, and their new colleague Seamus Woulfe. To say the rift has flummoxed politics would be an understatement. Any TD could put down a motion before the Dáil for Woulfe’s impeachment, citing the Chief Justice’s position that Woulfe should resign – though nobody has yet done so.

The truth is few TDs think that Woulfe’s actions merit impeachment – though many of them certainly think he should resign. An impeachment motion is certainly possible – although it seems the parties are likely to wait and see how the matter develops this week – but it would have little chance of succeeding as things stand.

More pressing on the floor of the Dáil today is likely to be Opposition demands that the Government answer questions about the appointment of Mr Justice Woulfe in the first place, and specifically the fact that neither the Cabinet nor the leaders of the other Coalition parties were informed by Fine Gael that a number of other senior judges had applied for the gig.

Jack Horgan-Jones has the story here. We have a Q&A guide to where the story stands here.

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Playbook

The Cabinet meets this morning and will discuss the Covid measures and the arrangements for an eventual vaccine rollout.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly will bring a memorandum to Cabinet outlining the current developments and the regulatory framework for emerging vaccines.

The Cabinet is also likely to discuss, Jack Horgan-Jones advises, the promised student support package, which will see a payment of €250 to students for Covid-related assistance.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney will brief the Cabinet on the developing Brexit omnibus Bill, while Minister for Culture Catherine Martin will bring forward her plan for a guaranteed income for artists.

Brexit talks continue. Here's a useful explainer from Cliff Taylor.

Elsewhere, a meeting of the Judicial Council, the body that “promotes judicial excellence and independence to ensure public confidence in the administration of justice”, has also been called for today. Wonder what that could be about?

Busy day in the Dáil, and there is sure to be a row on the order of business as the Opposition seeks to bring Minister for Justice Helen McEntee in to question her on the appointment of Seamus Woulfe. Leaders' questions start the day at 2pm. Full schedule here.

The Seanad is also sitting where Fianna Fáil is introducing a hate crime Bill. You can read the brief explanatory memorandum here, while the text of the Bill is here. Discuss, as they say.

At the committees, Paschal Donohoe continues with the slow grind of bringing the finance Bill though, Minister for Education Norma Foley is at the education committee and Minister for Justice Helen McEntee is up before the justice committee on her estimates. Seanad details are here.

We'll bring you all the relevant updates on the above on irishtimes.com.