The first case of Covid-19 was observed in Ireland on February 29th. In the past month, we have had unprecedented change in every aspect of Irish society. The response to the pandemic progressed from warnings to school and pub closures, to a comprehensive shut down of non-essential workplaces, and strong guidelines on physical distancing, hygiene, and travel.
It is urgent to understand how people are responding to these changes. Adherence to physical distancing and protective health behaviours may be vital in delaying the transmission of the virus and allowing the health system to adapt. Understanding how to promote such adherence is a key topic of research for our community. Understanding the short-run impacts on mental and physical health is a key priority, as is understanding how the impacts of the restrictions are spread across groups of people and different types of businesses.
In the longer term, the Covid-19 pandemic will leave a wide range of public policy challenges in its wake. It would be important to anticipate now what those challenges are likely to be and to explore how research can contribute to finding solutions. It is crucial to understand the implications of different scenarios for inequality, education systems, labour markets, public administration, financial systems, transport, climate change, just to name a few. It is vital that we contribute to this process as scholars and researchers with different areas of expertise.
With these challenges in mind, we have launched a series of Covid19 crisis policy response events. The first which took place Friday April 17th and the second will take place this Friday April 24th.
The April 24th conference will take place on-line via Zoom webinar from 10:00 -13:20. There will be 5 sessions with 2 parallel sessions in the first time slot and 3 in the second time slot respectively(10:00 am to 11.30am and 12:00pm to 1:20pm).
Please choose ONE panel from session 1 and/or ONE panel from session 2 that you would like to attend and register at the corresponding link provided to that particular panel.
On Thursday evening, you will be sent a Zoom link for your chosen session.
Programme April 24th
Session 1 – 10:00 – 11:30
A Fiscal Policy Through The Crisis
Dr. Stephen Kinsella (UL, Chair)
Dr. Barra Roantree (ESRI),
Minister Paschal Donohoe (Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform)
Dr. Gemma Tetlow (Institute for Government)
To register for this panel click here
B Human Rights
Theme – Confinement and poor living conditions place our most vulnerable further at risk – victims of domestic violence, prisoners, people in care, international protection applicants, Travellers, Roma.
Professor Sinead Gibney, UL (Chair, organising)
Dr Áine Sperrin, NUIG
Nick Henderson, CEO, Irish Refugee Council
Lynn Ruane, Independent Senator
To register for this panel click here
Session 2 – 1200 – 13.20
A EU Dimensions of Policy Response
Chair Professor Orla Doyle (UCD)
Professor Brigid Laffan (EUI)
Professor Aidan Regan (UCD)
Professor Karl Whelan (UCD)
To register for this panel click here
B Coping with Restrictions: Issues and Challenges
Professor Liam Delaney, (Chair, organising)
Professor Molly Byrne (NUIG)
Professor Pete Lunn (ESRI)
TBC
To register for this panel click here
C Role of Experts in Policy
Chair – Prof Anita Maguire – VPR UCC
Professor Anthony Staines (DCU)
Professor Maria Baghramian (UCD)
Professor Alan Barrett (ESRI)
To register for this panel click here
Registration for this event will close at 18:00 Thursday April 23rd
We hope to record each session and for it to be available online after the event.
