The top story on RTE News' App at the moment is concern with compliance to the Covid restrictions and they have covered this very frequently since measures were introduced and rightly so.
However, I have noticed that they keep featuring stories online and in their bulletins of people who are breaking the guidelines and presenting this in a positive light. There seems to be an underlying theme that it's OK for people to meet up and call round to others houses once physical distancing is maintained. Sometimes the 2km limit is mentioned, but this is for exercise only, not for gatherings.
I don't like to pick individual examples but just looking at the website now there is a story of a boy cycling a marathon distance for charity.
www.rte.ie
A couple of quotes:
'This morning, relatives, friends and neighbours gathered at the ****" family home - together but apart - to cheer ***** on.'
'******’s grandparents, ***** and ***** ****, are cocooning nearby but came out to support the initiative whilst socially distancing.'
Well done to the boy, he is not breaking any guidelines but the report seems to be celebrating the fact that others are.
A garden party featured on the TV news during the week and was also reported online:
www.rte.ie
'A small gathering to celebrate Marianne's 90th birthday was organised by her grandson Til. Marianne celebrated from inside her house while a handful of close relatives and friends held a garden party outside.'
These reports seem to be on an almost daily basis, I have just picked a couple of examples. There is also reporting of guards of honour before or after funerals.
I am not having a go at any of the people involved in these gatherings. The situation is very difficult and people do want to come together to mark hugely significant occasions and milestones. I realise that precautions are taken to reduce the risk of any transmission of the virus.
My main issue here is with RTE News. Their reporters and editors should be fully aware of the rules and should not promote occasions where they are being broken.
However, I have noticed that they keep featuring stories online and in their bulletins of people who are breaking the guidelines and presenting this in a positive light. There seems to be an underlying theme that it's OK for people to meet up and call round to others houses once physical distancing is maintained. Sometimes the 2km limit is mentioned, but this is for exercise only, not for gatherings.
I don't like to pick individual examples but just looking at the website now there is a story of a boy cycling a marathon distance for charity.
Galway boy raises over €14,000 by cycling marathon
An eight-year-old Galway boy is cycling a marathon to raise money for frontline healthcare workers, while staying inside his 2km permitted radius for exercise.
A couple of quotes:
'This morning, relatives, friends and neighbours gathered at the ****" family home - together but apart - to cheer ***** on.'
'******’s grandparents, ***** and ***** ****, are cocooning nearby but came out to support the initiative whilst socially distancing.'
Well done to the boy, he is not breaking any guidelines but the report seems to be celebrating the fact that others are.
A garden party featured on the TV news during the week and was also reported online:
Dingle's WWII survivor: 'People need to relax'
A woman celebrating her 90th birthday, and who lived through World War II, is advising people to relax and remain patient during the Covid-19 lockdown.
'A small gathering to celebrate Marianne's 90th birthday was organised by her grandson Til. Marianne celebrated from inside her house while a handful of close relatives and friends held a garden party outside.'
These reports seem to be on an almost daily basis, I have just picked a couple of examples. There is also reporting of guards of honour before or after funerals.
I am not having a go at any of the people involved in these gatherings. The situation is very difficult and people do want to come together to mark hugely significant occasions and milestones. I realise that precautions are taken to reduce the risk of any transmission of the virus.
My main issue here is with RTE News. Their reporters and editors should be fully aware of the rules and should not promote occasions where they are being broken.