The government cabinet has consented to a provisional extension of a law that authorises the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages in the outdoor sections of bars and eateries for the ensuing half-year. The Justice Minister, Helen McEntee, obtained the cabinet’s blessing to prolong the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021 until the conclusion of November for an additional six months.
The legislation initiated amendments to permit the trading and drinking of alcoholic beverages in the relevant open-air seating zones for licensed establishments. It can be prolonged for half a year whenever there is a resolution from both chambers of the Oireachtas.
Originally, these provisions were an integral part of the government’s approach to dealing with Covid-19, but the Coalition now intends to make these strategies permanent through the forthcoming Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2024.
In parallel, the three-party heads briefed the Cabinet on recognising Palestine as a state, which might occur as soon as Wednesday. The Cabinet ratified remarks by Taoiseach Simon Harris that such recognition would occur before the closure of this month. Coordination is ongoing with other European capitals in anticipation of an announcement.
In an unrelated matter, the State’s Minister for Disabilities, Anne Rabbitte, received the greenlight from the government to allocate an additional €7m for the evaluation of need applications. These evaluations serve to identify whether children require supports in health, disability, or education.
A new waiting list initiative will implement the evaluations via the procurement of private assessments for families that have been waiting the longest. The funding of €6.89 million will enable the HSE to procure up to 2,500 additional need assessments, to be delivered over the upcoming six months. This funding comes on top of the HSE’s core funding of €5 million. The initiative will target families who have been waiting the longest, with the HSE making direct payments to clinicians via capacity procurement from approved private providers.
The number of applications received in 2023 saw a substantial quarter increase compared to the previous year, demonstrating escalating demand for these evaluations. The Department of Children and Equality is set to examine the possibility of using the National Treatment Purchase Fund, aimed at reducing the wait time for patients on public hospital waiting lists, with an immediate effect.