Events during the year 2021 in Ireland. As in most of the world, the COVID-19 pandemic dominated events in Ireland this year.
Incumbents
President: Michael D. Higgins Taoiseach: Micheál Martin (FF) Tánaiste: Leo Varadkar (FG) Minister for Finance: Paschal Donohoe (FG) Chief Justice: Frank Clarke (until 10 October 2021) Donal O'Donnell (since 11 October 2021) Dáil: 33rd Seanad: 26th
Events
January
1 January Munster Technological University officially opened as Ireland's newest and second technological university, and was described by Higher Education Minister Simon Harris as an "important milestone".Creation of new Munster Technological University an 'important milestone' for south west TheJournal.ie, 2021-01-01 Minister for Children Roderic O'Gorman announced that the resumption of pre-school programmes would be delayed until 11 January, in line with the reopening of primary and secondary schools.Resumption of the pre-school programme postponed until 11 January, in line with reopening of primary and secondary schools Gov.ie, 2021-01-01 2 January 3,394 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Ireland.Coronavirus: 4 deaths and a record high of 3,394 new cases confirmed TheJournal.ie, 2021-01-02 The Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory Cillian de Gascun announced that a further nine cases of the UK variant of COVID-19 had been detected in Ireland from 23 December to 29 December, bringing the total number of cases identified to 16.Covid-19: Nine further cases of 'UK strain' detected in State The Irish Times, 2021-01-02 It was revealed that there were approximately 9,000 positive COVID-19 tests not yet logged on the Health Service Executive's IT systems, due to both limitations in the software; and lack of staff to check and input details, meaning there was an effective ceiling of approximately 1,700 to 2,000 cases that could be logged each day.If that's the case, the backlog of 9,000 is likely to get continually larger and larger - and the number of daily positive swabs (which historically runs roughly 10% higher than the number of positive cases) will be a truer illustration of #covid19ireland for the coming days. Twitter, 2021-01-02 3 January – 4,962 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed.Coronavirus: Seven deaths and 4,962 new cases confirmed TheJournal.ie, 2021-01-02 4 January – 6,110 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed.Coronavirus: Six deaths and 6,110 new cases confirmed in Ireland TheJournal.ie, 2021-01-04 5 January A 95-year-old woman became the first nursing home resident in Ireland to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.Dublin woman (95) becomes first nursing home resident in the State to be vaccinated The Irish Times, 2021-01-05 An infectious diseases consultant became the first healthcare worker in the Mater University Hospital to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.Breastfeeding doctor and 95-year-old COVID-19 survivor vaccinated Irish Examiner, 2021-01-05 The taoiseach, Micheál Martin, announced that up to 135,000 people would be vaccinated nationwide by the end of February 2021.Up to 135,000 people to be fully vaccinated by end of February, Taoiseach says TheJournal.ie, 2021-01-05 6 January 7,836 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed.Coronavirus: 17 deaths and 7,836 new cases confirmed in Ireland TheJournal.ie, 2021-01-06 The Government agreed a number of new lockdown measures including the closure of all schools until February with Leaving Certificate students allowed to attend school for three days a week, the closure of all non-essential construction sites with certain exceptions at 6pm on 8 January, the requirement from 9 January for all passengers from the United Kingdom and South Africa to have a negative PCR test that they acquired within 72 hours of travelling and the prohibition of click-and-collect services for non-essential retail.Additional public health restrictions - people urged to stay at home Gov.ie, 2021-01-06 The tánaiste, Leo Varadkar, announced that the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine would allow 10,000 more people in Ireland to be vaccinated per week.Ireland to see 10,000 more weekly vaccines with Moderna approval RTÉ News, 2021-01-06 It was announced that the minister for justice Helen McEntee tested positive for COVID-19.Minister for Justice Helen McEntee tests positive for Covid-19 The Irish Times, 2021-01-06 7 January NPHET confirmed that the backlog of cases due to a delay in reporting positive laboratory results have been cleared.Statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team - Thursday 7 January Gov.ie, 2021-01-07 The Government was forced to abandon plans for Leaving Certificate students to attend school on three days a week, and instead students will return to homeschooling along with other students until February, after the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) directed its members not to return to in-school teaching.Government to scrap plan on partial reopening of schools The Irish Times, 2021-01-07 The distribution of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in private and voluntary nursing homes began nationwide, with 22 nursing homes of 3,000 residents and staff to be vaccinated.Covid-19: Vaccine rollout starts in nursing homes The Irish Times, 2021-01-07 The tánaiste announced that the Government would consider banning the sale of alcohol after a certain time in a day, while all pubs, restaurants and other businesses were set to remain closed until April.Government will consider banning sale of alcohol after a certain time in the day, says Tánaiste Leo Varadkar Irish Independent, 2021-01-07Pubs and restaurants likely to remain closed until April, Leo Varadkar says Irish Mirror, 2021-01-07 8 January 8,248 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed – the highest number of confirmed cases recorded in a single day so far since the pandemic reached Ireland.Coronavirus: 20 deaths and 8,248 new cases as ICU numbers rise above 100 TheJournal.ie, 2021-01-08 Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan confirmed that three cases of the South African variant of COVID-19 had been detected in the Republic of Ireland by whole genome sequencing associated with travel from South Africa.Coronavirus Ireland: record 8,248 new cases and 20 further deaths confirmed as South African variant identified in Ireland Irish Independent, 2021-01-08 Met Éireann issued multiple Status Yellow low temperature and ice warnings as it was forecast to be extremely cold with temperatures plummeting to between –1 and –7 degrees Celsius.Temperatures could plummet to -7C tonight RTÉ News, 2021-01-08 9 January – A major fire that broke out at an animal feed storage facility near the Port of Cork was brought under control.Major fire at Cork Port brought under control; no casualties reported TheJournal.ie, 2021-01-09 11 January The purchase of alcohol with supermarket vouchers as well as a number of multi-buy schemes were banned under new legislation that came into effect.New regulations restrict price promotions of alcohol RTÉ News, 2021-01-11 Figures revealed by the Our World in Data organisation showed that Ireland had the highest daily number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world for every million people.Ireland had world's highest Covid-19 infection rate last week The Irish Times, 2021-01-11 Gardaí (police) received new COVID-19 enforcement powers, including the power to fine people €100 in breach in the 5km travel limit.People breaching Covid-19 travel restrictions now face €100 fine The Irish Times, 2021-01-11 12 January The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation published its final report. The 3,000-page document stated that approximately 9,000 children died in Mother and Baby Homes between 1925 and 1998. The Government agreed that all passengers arriving into Ireland would need a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken 72 hours before departure from Saturday 16 January.All travellers into Republic will need negative Covid-19 tests from Saturday The Irish Times, 2021-01-12 The first shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Ireland.First delivery of Moderna vaccine arrives in Ireland RTÉ News, 2021-01-12 The Fine Gael parliamentary party agreed to readmit three senators who attended an Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in Clifden in August 2020.Fine Gael parliamentary party readmits three Golfgate Senators The Irish Times, 2021-01-12 The Irish Prison Service announced that three prisoners in Portlaoise and Mountjoy Prisons tested positive for COVID-19.Three prisoners in Portlaoise and Mountjoy test positive for Covid-19 TheJournal.ie, 2021-01-12 13 January The taoiseach, Micheál Martin, issued a formal apology to victims and survivors of Mother and Baby Homes, on behalf of the state, and promised that the apology would be followed by actions, including access to counselling and records, provision of medical cards, and a system of reparations.State apology: Taoiseach's full statement on Mother and Baby Homes The Irish Times, 2021-01-13 The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) called for the Government to declare a national emergency and for all private hospital capacity to be fully nationalised into the public healthcare system as the number of hospitalisations doubled the peak of April 2020.Covid situation in Irish hospitals now a 'national emergency' as nurses issue urgent warning Irish Mirror, 2021-01-13 14 January Gardaí issued 29 fines to people breaching the 5km travel limit over the previous seven days including three people who travelled 80km to "collect burgers from a takeaway" in Ringsend, Dublin.Three people fined for travelling 80km for a burger RTÉ News, 2021-01-14 The National Transport Authority announced that reduced timetables for bus operators in Dublin would recommence from Monday 18 January and would run at 80 percent capacity.New Bus Schedules for Dublin Area to take effect from next week National Transport Authority, 2021-01-14 The Fianna Fáil parliamentary party agreed to readmit three senators who attended an Oireachtas Golf Society dinnerin Clifden in August 2020.Whip restored to three Fianna Fáil senators who attended Oireachtas golf dinner last August TheJournal.ie, 2021-01-14 15 January – The Chief Medical Officers of Ireland and Northern Ireland Tony Holohan and Michael McBride issued a joint statement urging everyone to stay at home.'We are gravely concerned': Chief medical officers issue joint stay-at-home warning TheJournal.ie, 2021-01-15 16 January Around 1,800 healthcare workers received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at three mass vaccination centres that opened in Dublin, Galway and Portlaoise.GPs and nurses get Moderna jab at vaccination centres RTÉ News, 2021-01-16 The Department of Health announced the suspension of all nursing and midwifery student placements for two weeks due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels.Nursing and midwifery student placements suspended to redeploy qualified nurses and midwives to support COVID-19 response Gov.ie, 2021-01-16 17 January The Government requested early deliveries of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as discussions to secure early delivery of the vaccine got underway.Govt requests early deliveries of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine RTÉ News, 2021-01-17 The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation called for further clarity on the decision to suspend nursery and midwifery student placements for two weeks.Covid-19: INMO calls for clarity on suspension of student nurse placements The Irish Times, 2021-01-17 18 January – The number of patients with COVID-19 being treated in hospitals around the country reached a record 2,023, with 200 in intensive care units and over 400 people receiving high-grade ventilation and respiratory support.Over 2,000 Covid patients in hospital, 200 in ICU RTÉ News, 2021-01-18 19 January Ninety three deaths of COVID-19 were confirmed.93 further deaths as 2,001 new Covid-19 cases confirmed in Ireland Irish Examiner, 2021-01-19