Be Summer Ready 2022 - Minister Coveney

Speech

Minister Coveney’s launch of the

‘Be Summer-Ready’ 2022 Campaign

6 April 2022, NECC

Good afternoon everyone and welcome.

Let me begin by thanking my colleagues, Minister Mary Butler and Minister Hildegarde Naughton, for joining me for the Launch of our 2022 Be Summer-Ready campaign. As Chair of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, I am delighted to be here today.

I know that many of you will have questions for me on the situation in Ukraine and you will all have seen the powerful address given by President Zelensky to the joint meeting of the Dail and Seanad this morning. I will be happy to answer these questions afterwards but let me say that the Government remains resolute in its solidarity and support for Ukraine, and reiterates the call on Russia to cease all hostilities immediately and to withdraw from Ukraine unconditionally.

Let me also remind everyone that COVID-19 is still with us. As we move into the third summer of this pandemic, it is important to remember that the protective measures, with which we are all so familiar, remain the best ways of protecting ourselves and our loved ones. Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 should self-isolate until 48 hours after symptoms have substantially or fully resolved – please do not attend any social events, work, school or college if you have symptoms.

Mask wearing continues to be advised on public transport and in healthcare settings. Anyone who wishes to wear a mask, based on individual preference, should not be discouraged from doing so.

Many people who were infected with COVID-19 over the Christmas period will now be eligible for a booster vaccine. It is also not too late to receive a primary dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines remain the most effective way of protecting ourselves from the worst effects of COVID-19.

Now, on to the launch, I am pleased to say that we have translated the Be Summer Ready campaign information into Ukrainian and Russian so that those who have fled from the terrible situation in Ukraine and have sought shelter in this country can also get the benefit of the advice it contains. In addition, an audio file of the campaign’s information will be available for those who have difficulty reading.

The focus of this year’s campaign is ‘Minding your Mental Health this Summer’. It is important to remember to look after our own mental health and the mental health of our loved ones. As we begin to take advantage of the longer days and better weather, we want everyone to be able to enjoy our work and leisure activities in safety. We wish to encourage people to be self-reliant but also to recognise when help is needed and where to get it.

The message today is that keeping active can help protect both your physical and mental health.

Today we are advising people to meet up with a friend for a walk, get out on your bike and explore or try some new activity.

I also want to remind everyone that the summer months come with the increased risk of injuries and fatalities from incidents on the farm, road accidents and water based activities. The risk of wildfire also increases over the summer months. Wildfires can cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts as well as damage to property.

We should all be conscious of our own personal safety when visiting the coast, lakes, rivers or the countryside so that we can all enjoy our natural amenities while avoiding additional, unnecessary pressure on our emergency and front line services.

I would like to take a moment now to recognise the commitment and dedication of our front line responders and the work of our Local Authorities in maintaining essential services throughout the year.

Let me also single out the many wonderful individuals, community groups and voluntary emergency services who provide support to the community day in, day out. The value of these services was seen during the pandemic and this value is being highlighted again as they support Ukrainian citizens seeking shelter from conflict.

The front line emergency services rely heavily upon this community spirit to assist them. This support is greatly appreciated. The best way of thanking them is to be alert to our own safety and to avoid unnecessary risks.

I will now hand over to my ministerial colleagues, Minister of State, Mary Butler and then Minister of State, Hildegarde Naughton. I would like to thank them and their Departments for the assistance that they have given in preparing this campaign.

They will provide you with further information about raising awareness of seasonal risks and enhancing our personal resilience.

Thank you.

ENDS