Who is popular today?

The decision to reopen crèches and childcare facilities next week despite keeping schools shut “beggars belief” and has “no rationale”, representatives from the sector have said.
On Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced primary and secondary schools would remain closed until January 11th, having been expected to reopen on January 4th or 6th, depending on the school.
The decision to delay reopening was made at a hastily convened Cabinet meeting on Wednesday following an increase in the number of cases of Covid-19, the highest number of hospitalisations since May and a massive rise in referrals of suspected cases in the past week.
However, the delayed reopening does not apply to early years facilities such as crèches and childcare premises – a move which has been criticised by those in the sector.
Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman had a meeting with representative bodies on Thursday afternoon to discuss the issue.
Teresa Heeney, chief executive of Early Childhood Ireland, the leading organisation in the early years sector, said the meeting resulted in a “unanimous call” from all groups to understand the rationale behind the decision.
The members also called for the decision to be reversed, and to allow crèches and childcare facilities to remain closed until January 11th, like schools.
“This sector has been following the exact same trajectory, the same conditions, the same public health advice since Covid. We’ve followed very, very strict public health guidelines, and to change that journey is bizarre,” Ms Heeney said.
“If it has been deemed necessary for schools to have 10 days to reopen safely, how can it be different for early years and school age services? Early Childhood Ireland is asking why the same decision has not been made for those who work in early years and childcare settings.”
Ms Heeney said Minister O’Gorman confirmed that if a different decision is taken on January 11th in relation to the reopening of schools, early years services would follow that same decision.
The representatives said they are expecting a communication from the department later on Thursday.
Equal treatment
Earlier, the Siptu trade union, which also met with the Minister, called for equal treatment for all educators.
An online petition calling on the Minister to push back the reopening date for the early years sector had more than 8,000 signatures by lunch time on Thursday.
Siptu head of organising Darragh O’Connor said Mr Martin told the nation that the reopening of primary and secondary schools will be delayed to allow families to minimise their contacts and allow schools implement new Covid-19 protective measures.
“The reality is that early years educators and parents face the exact same challenges. However as it stands the early years sector is expected to reopen from Monday January 4th.”
He added: “Siptu is demanding that the start date is pushed back to coincide with the reopening of schools and that equal treatment for early years educators is applied to ensure the same protections can be implemented and people are kept safe.”
Early years educator and Siptu member Clare Casey said people working in the sector “should be treated with the same respect shown to other educators”.
“As an educator, I experience the same fears around contracting Covid-19 as my colleagues in primary and secondary schools and just because I work in a creche doesn’t mean I am immune to catching this deadly virus.”
A spokeswoman for the Department of Children confirmed Minister O’Gorman met with representatives from the sector to discuss this matter.
“The Minister has committed to consider their concerns and will update early learning and childcare providers and parents after further consultation,” she said.