The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global

pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory

syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).[1] The outbreak was first identified in Wuhan, China, in
December 2019.[ The virus is primarily spread between people during close contact,[c] most often
via small droplets produced by coughing,[d] sneezing, and talking.[9][10][12] The droplets usually fall
to the ground or onto surfaces rather than travelling through air over long distances.[9] However,
research as of June 2020 has shown that speech-generated droplets may remain airborne for tens
of minutes.[13] Less commonly, people may become infected by touching a contaminated surface
and then touching their face. The pandemic has caused global social and economic disruption,[21]
including the largest global recession since the Great Depression.[22] It has led to the
postponement or cancellation of sporting, religious, political, and cultural events,[23] widespread
supply shortages exacerbated by panic buying,[24][25][26] and decreased emissions of pollutants and
greenhouse gases.[27][28] Schools, universities, and colleges have been closed either on a
nationwide or local basis in 172 countries, affecting approximately 98.5 percent of the world's
student population.[

Position of Ireland: The COVID-19 pandemic reached the Republic of Ireland on 29 February
2020,[4] and within three weeks had spread to all counties.[5][6] The pandemic affected many
aspects of society. On 12 March, the government shut all schools, colleges, childcare facilities
and cultural institutions, and advised cancelling large gatherings.[ The lockdown has caused a
severe recession and an unprecedented rise in unemployment,[11] with a longer lockdown forecast
to cause greater damage.[12] A COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and a Temporary
COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme were set up.
By 29 June, the Department of Health had confirmed 25,462 cases and 1,735 deaths. By mid-
March, nearly 3% of the population—140,000 people (including 70,000 restaurant staff, 50,000
pub and bar staff and about 200 billionéche and childcare workers)—had lost their jobs due to
restrictions brought in to delay the virus's spread.[323] The numbers of people in normally busy
Dublin areas such as Grafton Street dropped by percentages in the sixties, seventies and eighties.

steps: Government departments and agencies have been working to modify work practices,
modes of delivery to meet with these challenges and this work will have to continue. It is
acknowledged that additional measures have to be taken to reach out to more vulnerable groups
and those that are particular affected by the guidance on cocooning and social distancing.

Policies to rebuild both in the short and long-term entail strengthening health services and
putting in place very targeted stimulus measures to help reignite growth. This includes efforts to
maintain the private sector and get money directly to people so that we may see a quicker return
to business creation after this pandemic has passed. During the mitigation period, countries
should focus on sustaining economic activity with targeted support to provide liquidity to
households, firms and government essential services. At the same time, policymakers should
remain vigilant to counter potential financial disruptions.

During the recovery period, our country will need to calibrate the winding down of public
support and should be targeting broader development challenges. The analysis discusses the
importance of allowing an orderly allocation of new capital toward sectors that are productive in
the new post-pandemic structures that emerge.  To succeed in this, our country
 will need reforms that allow capital and labor to adjust relatively fast – by speeding the
resolution of disputes, reducing regulatory barriers, and reforming the costly subsidies,
monopolies and protected state-owned enterprises that have slowed development. 

uno: As part of the ongoing Irish contribution to global efforts to address the COVID 19
pandemic, today Ireland provided €10 million in funding to the UN’s Global Humanitarian
Response Plan. This Plan will help particularly vulnerable countries in their responses to the
virus.
The Minister of State for International Development, Ciarán Cannon T.D., added:

“The bravery and humanity of all of those working on the front line in the fight against the virus
is remarkable. I have always been amazed by the Irish people and NGOs I have seen working to
address humanitarian crises, but never more than now. Today’s allocation to the UN appeal is
part of Ireland's support for the work of all those across the world who are saving lives in these
most challenging of circumstances.”

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/e5e599-government-publishes-roadmap-to-ease-covid-19-
restrictions-and-reope/

ttps://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/06/02/countries-can-take-steps-now-to-
speed-recovery-from-covid-19

https://reliefweb.int/report/world/ireland-contributes-10-million-un-global-humanitarian-response-
plan-covid-19