Good morning.
Switch on the radio or TV, and the current affairs programmes will be dominated by two topics: vaccinations and Covid-19 restrictions.
The two are so inextricably bound together that when the daily coronavirus figures land every evening, the temptation is to immediately check the latest vaccination statistics in search of some comfort.
The problem, as we are only too aware, is that the vaccination programme has been stumbling and stuttering both nationally and on a European level.
If we look to countries like Israel we can see the clear emerging benefit of a successful and widespread inoculation programme. There, the reproductive number of the virus has been dropping steadily weeks after the country reopened large swathes of its economy and society.
Here, the Government has been flat-out promising everything will “ramp up” from next week onwards. So the next four weeks will probably prove to be one of the most crucial months for this Government since its establishment.
The public is beyond frustrated, businesses are crying out for a long-term plan: the stakes are very high. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly says the capacity is there to vaccinate 250,000 people next week, but will the deliveries materialise?
This is where the global and international picture becomes even more important. In recent weeks, tensions between the European Union and United Kingdom have been nearing boiling point.
This culminated in military officers entering an Italian factory at the EU’s request where 29 million AstraZeneca doses were discovered, and of course the question was: where were they destined for? A new export ban was floated by the EU, to be discussed at an EU summit that takes place today and will be attended by Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
The issue looked to be reaching fever pitch when a surprise joint statement from the EU and UK landed yesterday.
It said that “given our interdependencies, we are working on specific steps we can take – in the short, medium and long term – to create a win-win situation and expand vaccine supply for all our citizens”.
The talks will seek “reciprocity” we are told. In truth it is in no one’s interest to have countries bickering over vaccines. The political reality, however, is that countries in every corner of the world are desperate to maximise supply to reopen their economies.
That leads us to restrictions: the Government will next week announce what measures will be relaxed after April 5th. Much of it has been well flagged including a potential lifting of the 5km travel restrictions and giving further guidance about meeting outdoors, as well as a possible staggered return to construction.
But alarm is growing within Government about the impact any such easing will have at a time when the key indicators are heading in the wrong direction.
In our lead today, we report how Micheál Martin warned his colleagues last night about a sharp increase in the number of people being sent for testing.
At the Fianna Fáil parliamentary meeting he spoke about a 42 per cent week-on-week increase in the numbers referred for testing on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told the weekly meeting of his party that the rise in case numbers was a “definite case of concern.”
Read the full report here.
And follow irishtimes.com today for the latest on the pandemic and any breaking news from that European Council summit, which US president Joe Biden will also attend virtually.
More troubles in the Greens
In recent days, members of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have remarked privately that they look at their Government partners in the Greens and ask themselves: what on Earth is going on?
It seems like every week a new crisis engulfs the smaller Coalition party. Fresh on the heels of a Green Party TD mounting a legal challenge against his own Government (Patrick Costello questioning the constitutionality of approving the Ceta trade deal) comes the latest saga: the Seanad hopeful whose run is not supported by the Green Party and who also happens to be the Lord Mayor of Dublin.
We could try explain what is happening here, but the best thing is to leave you in the hands of the inimitable Miriam Lord who writes: “The power couples (Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu and Patrick Costello TD; Minister Catherine Martin and Francis Noel Duffy TD) are locked in a battle with the Ryan-Greens for control of the ecosphere.
“The latest plot twist saw Lord Mayor Chu announce she is running for election to the Seanad against the wishes of patriarch Eamon Ryan and his old-school Greens.”
And the story just rolls on from there. Read more about Eat Yer Greens here.
Best Reads
Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn have the latest on the leak controversy involving Tánaiste Leo Varadkar.
Simon Carswell asks (and answers) the big question: what can the fully vaccinated do? Can you hug your granny?
Marie O'Halloran reports on an unexpected row in the Dáil yesterday (spoiler, it links Cromwell and restrictions).
Jim O'Callaghan's unity plan makes challenging points, writes Newton Emerson.
Playbook
Dáil
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly is in his weekly Dáil slot to answer questions about the Covid-19 vaccination drive. Proceedings kick off at 10am.
Leaders’ Questions will be taken at noon followed by Questions on Promised Legislation.
There are a few Bills up, including the Residential Tenancies Bill at 13.04pm that deals with tenants’ rights during the pandemic and the Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill.
Under these Government plans, parental leave with social welfare benefit is to increase from two to five weeks. The Department of Children also plans to allow adoptive couples to choose which parent avails of the current allowed 24 weeks’ leave with benefit. It also wants to remove a “significant” anomaly that left married male same-sex couples unable to avail of adoptive leave.
Later in the day the Regional Group will bring the Civil Liability and Courts (Amendment) Bill 2021 that seeks to increase penalties for fraudulent claims. Topical Issues will be taken at 8pm, and the Dáil adjourns at 8.48pm.
Seanad and committees
The Seanad resumes tomorrow, Friday. In the committees, TDs will meet virtually to discuss issues affecting the Travelling community.
