Cork/Kerry ‘bubble’ for holidays is floated

A CORK/Kerry ‘bubble’ should operate between the two counties in the event of further lockdowns, a local senator has suggested.

With low cases of Covid-19 being reported in the south west, FG Sen Tim Lombard has said it is important to reward counties whose levels of the virus are low, allowing people from either county to travel and holiday in the neighbouring county.

Both Sen Lombard and his Kerry colleague TD Brendan Griffin have called for the ‘Cork/Kerry bubble’ initiative as latest figures (April 13^th to 26^th) show very low Covid levels, when compared with most other counties.

For example, both the Bantry and Skibbereen local electoral areas have less than five cases of Covid, while the Bandon/Kinsale electoral area has just five confirmed cases of Covid, and Macroom has seven cases, for the same period.

Meanwhile, across the border, the Kenmare local electoral area has less than five cases for the same period, as has the Corca Dhuibhne area, and Killarney has 16 recorded cases.

‘Because Cork and Kerry figures are so low, we are calling for regional bubbles between the two down the line if anything changes,’ said Sen Lombard.

‘While Donegal may be hit with restrictions in the coming weeks due to rising numbers there, we, however, are on the other side, asking that people who have done well get the benefits and acknowledgement for that,’ Sen Lombard told The Southern Star.

‘As I have jokingly said to Brendan, as much as I dislike Kerry, I think a bubble between the two counties would work quite well and would allow people to travel between both,’ the senator added.