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Same-sex couples Parents have been
in Northern Ireland can Ireland Faces New warned not to “dose” their IRISH
apply to have a religious children with painkillers and
wedding ceremony follow- send them to school if they
ing a change in the law. Challenges With Rise In have Covid-19 symptoms. EXAMINER
From Wednesday, cou- Dr Sumi Dunne urged par-
ples will be able to register ents to keep their children at |
to marry in a religious set- Household Infections home if they are unwell,
ting, and religious bodies unless they only have a runny
can choose to opt in to pro- nose. September
vide same-sex weddings. “If you feel your child is
With a statutory 28-day unwell, particularly if they
waiting period, the earliest suddenly develop a high tem- 2nd,
date for a same-sex reli- perature, a new cough, 2020
gious wedding will be please keep them at home,”
September 29th. Dr Dunne said.
Amnesty International “Don’t dose them with
has welcomed the move, paracetamol, don’t dose
which came after a long- them with ibuprofen and send
term campaign, but urged them into school.”
the Northern Irish govern- But she said that children
ment to “finish the job” by can have persistent runny
allowing same-sex couples noses, which “can sometimes
with an existing civil part- last a prolonged period of
nership to be able to convert time”.
their partnership into a mar- “In that instance if the child
riage. he increasing number that Ireland recorded its high- people in intensive care units is well, and they are not hav-
There are 1,200 same- of outbreaks of Covid- est death toll on April 20th and 30 people in hospital with ing a temperature, there is no
sex couples in Northern T19 in private house- when 77 people died from the the disease. reason why they cannot go to
Ireland who currently have holds is more concerning than virus. A total of 127 new cases of school, or why they cannot
civil partnerships. clusters in meat plants, After health officials con- Covid-19 and no further attend preschool or creche,”
Patrick Corrigan, according to an infectious dis- firmed the first case on deaths were reported by the she said.
Amnesty International’s eases expert. February 29th, there have Department of Health of Dr Dunne made the com-
Northern Ireland Director Prof Sam McConkey, from since been 28,578 people diag- Friday. ments at the Department of
Health briefing on Monday.
and part of the Love the Royal College of Surgeons nosed with Covid-19. It comes as the Many primary and sec-
Equality coalition, described Ireland, said the number of Ireland hit its highest num- Government said gardaí will ondary schools are reopen-
Tuesday as a “milestone for outbreaks in private house- ber of cases in one day when receive tough new powers to ing their doors to staff and
equality in Northern holds had been increasing 936 were recorded on April shut pubs which break coron- students this week following
Ireland”. “dramatically” recently, 23rd. avirus rules. six months of closure.
“After years of cam- whereas outbreaks in meat HSE chief executive Paul Fines of up to €2,500 or a Dr Dunne said she appre-
paigning, same-sex couples factories are getting fewer. Reid said it has been a “a long maximum of six months in ciated that parents may be
of faith can finally register to He said: “It is much more six months” since the first prison will be the sanction if worried about their children
marry in a church or other challenging to deal with [out- Covid-19 case confirmed in bars infringing social distanc- returning to school and she
ing regulations refuse to close
the State.
breaks in households] because
religious setting,” he said. they are private spaces that are “Much learning, hurt, sor- for a day. advised them to contact their
“In line with our cam- not regulated very much. row, grieving and frustration. Closure orders could be GP with any concerns that
paign, we are pleased that “Whereas in organised “But there’s also been inspi- issued by a district court they may have.
the law will protect religious workplaces, the employers rational responses from the resulting in a pub being shut In an open letter to par-
freedom, and that churches and the people running it have public and healthcare work- for up to 30 days. ents, guardians, teachers and
will neither be compelled a very strong interest in hav- ers,” he tweeted. Plan to reopen drink-only school staff, the country’s act-
nor prevented from offering ing their business up and “A more difficult phase hostelries have been put on ing chief medical officer Dr
wedding ceremonies to working well and their now but the same virus.” hold again as the government Ronan Glynn said he was
same-sex couples. employees healthy.” As society eased out of lock- attempts to contain the cases. “very aware” of their worries.
“This is an important Meanwhile, the head of the down restrictions, cases have Tánaiste Leo Varadkar He said their concern was
issue for many couples in HSE has said that Ireland has been steadily rising since mid- announced a €16 million sup- natural and to be fully expect-
Northern Ireland, who have reached a “more difficult July prompting acting chief port package for pubs, bars ed given the challenges
previously been prevented phase” of Covid-19 as the medical officer Dr Ronan and nightclubs which are posed by Covid-19, but he
by law from marrying in country marks six months Glynn to issue warnings about enduring a prolonged wait to added that the decision to
their own church. since the first case was detect- the spike, particularly among raise shutters. reopen the schools had not
“We now urge the ed. young people. The new initiatives includ- been taken lightly.
There have been a total of
While alarm bells were
Government to finish the job 1,777 people who died with sounded over the jump in ed waiving court fees and asso- “If all of us continue to
ciated excise and stamp duties
of marriage equality in Covid-19 in the State, many of cases, there has been a fall-off relating to the renewal of pub make small changes to the
Northern Ireland, by allow- them elderly people living in in the number of people and other liquor licences and way we live, we can – togeth-
ing couples in civil partner- nursing homes. admitted to hospital and the waiver of excise duty on on- er – starve this virus of oppor-
ships to convert to married Figures provided by the number of deaths. trade liquor licences on tunities to transmit,” Dr Glynn
status if they so wish.” C Department of Health show There are currently five renewal this year. C wrote. C

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