Wicklow News

The total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Republic of Ireland has risen to 25,142 with 668 cases in County Wicklow.

While the payment for full-time workers is set to be phased out over time.

The Blessington Local Area Plan highlights that 36 new housing units are to be built in the area with 10% of these being social housing.

It’s emerged the Health Minister, Wicklow T.D. Simon Harris was in self isolation for several days last week amid concerns he had contracted Covid-19.

The pair have previously indicated their intention to appeal if they were not successful

From Monday we should be allowed to travel further from home and meet in small groups indoors.

Officers investigating the disappearance of Madeline McCann 13 years ago have identified a man in a German prison as their main suspect.

Charges have been upgraded against a police officer in the United States, in connection with the death of George Floyd.

Eight regional independent TDs met with Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Greens today to discuss government formation.

There was a 6 per cent increase in serious incidents within the HSE last year - with most resulting in a patient’s death or serious harm.

It’s being reported that papers have been filed in the High Court by boxing trainer Pete Taylor against a number of parties, including the Irish Athletic Boxing Association and Wicklow County Council. 

It would see slower zones extended to all suburbs as well as most major routes, as part of temporary measures to allow for social distancing.

Gardaí collected €470,000 in fines from people who misused disabled bays last year.

Pressure on the government's finances continues with the Covid-19 pandemic.

The fight - originally scheduled for May - was postponed by Matchroom Boxing due to the coronavirus pandemic.

An Irish MEP has urged Wicklow County Council to apply for a grant to fund the installation for upgrading of Wi-Fi in public spaces.

The chief medical officer says Covid-19 still has the potential for spreading across all regions of the country.

The organisers of an anti-racism demonstration have cancelled it because they fear being prosecuted.

People are being told they shouldn’t  keep large amounts of hand sanitiser in their home or car because of the risk of fire.

Sinn Féin says the Stormont Assembly's vote against abortion laws must not be allowed derail the rollout of services across Northern Ireland.

But a hard deadline of next week is emerging for a programme for government to be finished.

Two people arrested last Friday following the seizure of €30,000 worth of drugs and an assortment of weapons during a search at a house in Loughlinstown are still being questioned by Gardai.. 

Gardai have used new Covid enforcement powers 13 times in the past week.

Air Corps helicopters have dumped thousands of tonnes of water on wildfires in north Kildare, which had threatened an explosives factory.

Irish Rail announced last week the car park at Kilcoole Train Station would remain closed for the summer months, to encourage more people in the locality to walk, cycle and exercise within the current 5km restrictions. 

Met Eireann is predicting June will be 'drier than average', amid the possibility of a hosepipe ban being introduced.

The large numbers of Covid-19 deaths in nursing home settings has reignited calls for a shift of focus from the Fair Deal Nursing Home funding scheme to one that funds home care for the elderly.

The Department of Health has also confirmed no cost-benefit analysis was carried out before the decision was made to bring those hospitals into public use.

Questions have been raised again about how effective the enforcement of the current Covid-19 travel restrictions have been, after a large number of people from various counties camped on Brittas Bay Beach for the bank holiday weekend.

Donald Trump has threatened to deploy the military to quell unrest in cities across America - describing the problem as "domestic terror".

The government's being warned a rush to ease restricitons could lead to a resurgence of Covid 19.

It was initially announced on March 29th, with the expectation it would be rolled out in 10 days.

A local councillor has strongly condemned a fire that destroyed a section the Men’s Shed in Tinahealy.

The volunteer lifeboat crew were paged at 3.20 on Saturday afternoon following a report that two people were overdue back from a kayaking trip to Arklow Windfarm.

The aim of the project is increase tourism and footfall in the Baltinglass area.

They are being advised to adopt the 'play-pod' model in order to limit the number of people children interact with.

A London based investor in healthcare properties has been contracted to provide funding for the acquisition and construction of a primary care centre in Arklow in south Wicklow.

The Taoiseach says schools should reopen at the start of the new school year at the end of August or the begriming of September.

The temporary wage subsidy scheme is being changed to include woman on Maternity leave.

The cabinet has confirmed the agreement will not go beyond the end of June.

The NBRU previously claims it would be 'preposterous' if the government allowed the public transport system to collapse due to the pandemic.

The existing cycling tracks on the Goatstown Road and Benildus Road are being upgraded, to include a kerb to separate and protect cyclists from traffic.

ESB is warning people not to go swimming in its reservoirs, as the weather gets better.

Wicklow County Council car parks remain open in line with Phase 1 of the Government’s roadmap for reopening society and business.

Despite warnings that the country is facing a financial crisis,The Finance Minister has confirmed public sector workers will get a planned pay rise in October.

98 per cent of Leaving Certificate students have registered for the new calculated grading system.

Gardai in Wicklow are warning motorists they will be fined and turned back if they travel beyond the 5 kilometer travel restrictions to beaches and scenic locations in the garden county this weekend.

The chief medical officer says speeding up the lifting of coronavirus restrictions in some counties hasn't been ruled out.

A chart outlining the full details about the progress of Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland gives a greater insight on where the nation stands at the moment.

More than four in ten pubs in Dublin are planning on reopening as restaurants at the end of June, according to a survey by the Licensed Vintners Association.

A lane of traffic is being removed, and sections of on-street parking are being reallocated on a temporary basis to create more room for walkers and cyclists.

More than 1,400 people have been driving with only a learner permit for at least 25 years.

A church in South County Dublin is defying the lockdown guidelines and allowing local residents to attend daily mass.

Passengers arriving from overseas will face a fine or jail if they fail to fill out a Covid-19 passenger locator form.

Just under 2 in 5 people could be unemployed by the end of 2020 if a second lockdown is needed to suppress Covid-19.

Four men remain in custody at Garda stations across the midlands this morning following the seizure of guns and ammunition.

The Chief Medical Officer has told government Ministers he won't be recommending a change to the two metre social distancing rule at the moment.

A man has been jailed for nine and a half years for raping a teenage boy and sexually assaulting another after drugging them on separate dates in 2018.

The Department of Education has confirmed the extension to Coláiste Chraobh Abhann in Kilcoole won’t be delayed by the current Covid 19 pandemic.

Gardai are warning that despite reduced traffic due to Covid-19 travel restrictions drivers are speeding more.

The number of incidents of illegal dumping in Wicklow is on the increase, with a number of reports about people camping in scenic areas and abandoning tents and leaving bags of rubbish behind, despite the travel restrictions.

Fire services in Wicklow have issued an appeal to people heading to wooded areas in the county not to use disposable barbeques or light camp fires.

An investigation is under way following reports that one of Ana Kriegel's killers was allegedly assaulted in Oberstown Detention Centre in Dublin over the weekend.

Another 103 meat factory staff have tested positive for Covid-19 over the past week.

Dublin is one of four cities that is calling on the European Commission to set up a multi-billion euro grant scheme for public transport.

Local residents are being advised that works will begin today on the construction of a new roundabout on the Bray Southern Cross Road opposite the existing entrance to Bray Business Park.

An ambulance took at least an hour to arrive to a life-threatening emergency over 260 times in the first three months of this year.

People who operate farm machinery are being urged not to endanger their lives and the lives of others for the sake of social media.

Merrion Strand in Dublin will be the first beach in the country shut to swimmers under water quality law.

A full return to economic activity is important, but so is sticking to the plan and doing it on a phased basis, according to the chief medical officer.

The Dáil's COVID-19 committee has been hearing about the situation in nursing homes, with Tadhg Daly from Nursing Homes Ireland strongly critical of the government's initial response

33,194 students have registered online for the Leaving Cert calculated grading system.

The British Prime Minister says he regrets the anger people feel over his chief advisor's decision to drive 260 miles during the lockdown.

Gardai in Wicklow say more than 70 cars, motorcycles and cyclists were forced to turn back at various checkpoints yesterday, as people broke the current 5 kilometre travel restrictions to head to Glendalough, Devils Glen and Crone wood.

Three men are due in court in Australia today charged over the death of an Irish teenager at the weekend.

A report at the weekend claims four key sewage works projects including one in Wicklow, are facing significant delays.

The government will consider accelerating the lifting of restrictions if the number of new cases continues to decline.

The Irish Hairdressers Federation wants hairdressers to be able come back to work earlier than planned.

VAT and similar taxes could fall by up to 6.7 billion euro this year because of Covid-19.

it will be a criminal offence for anyone arriving into the country not to fill in a locator form spelling out where they'll be self-isolating.

Dublin city council is looking to double the numbers walking and triple cycling in the capital, as it predicts an 80 per cent reduction in capacity on public transport.

Despite the impact of the shutdown over the past two months because of the Coronavirus, it’s been revealed that the H.S.E. is currently in the process of providing equipment for the new Primary Care Centre in Bray.

The union's resolved a dispute with the Department of Education over legal protection for teachers.

The number of deaths from Covid-19 in the United States is approaching 100,000.

A 19-year-old man's been charged as part of an investigation into Covid-19 unemployment payments.

Go Safe vans detected 1,072 vehicles travelling in excess of the applicable speed limit.

An investigation has been launched by the National Monuments Service at the Department of Heritage after substantial damage was caused to Oldcourt Castle in Bray

Wicklow is one of only four of the country’s 31 local authorities to collect the vacant sites levy last year.

A number of harbour projects in County Wicklow are to benefit from a boost in government funding worth over €215,000.

The cost of building large projects like the National Children's Hospital could increase by as much as 40 per cent while COVID restrictions are in place.

Leo Varadkar has told the Dáil there's still a long way to travel before things can return to normal.