The Taoiseach has announced a raft of new measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The Taoiseach began his address by asking people to stay at home, "I'm asking you to stay at home if at all possible" he said.
- You should only leave home to go to work if your work is essential and can't be done remotely
- Asking only to have groups of 4 people
- All theatres, clubs, hairdressers etc to shut
- Hotels to restrict occupancy as much as possible
- All cafes and restaurants to be takeaway only
- Construction sites and factories do not have to be shut but physical distancing can be employed
- No travel within or outside Ireland should happen unless it's absolutely necessary.
- All planned cruise ship travel to Ireland will cease
- All sporting events even behind closed doors cancelled
- Govt commits to 4 billion euro package for business over the next few weeks
- COVID emergency payment is to be increased to €350 a week. As will illness benefit with the chance for companies to top that up further
- Companies can benefit from 70% back from the government if they keep people employed and pay the other 30%.This will be capped at 38,000 salary a year or €410 a week from the government
- Private hospitals will work as public hospitals which should add 2,000 beds. They agreed to do that free of charge
- Emergency bill on Thursday will allow former members of the Defence Forces to be re-recruited at the rank they left at
- Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has moved to give clarity on speculation about a 'lockdown' he says this is not a lockdown and he does not want to use that term
