The Taoiseach has made a statement to the country from Washington, USA this morning.
The statement was as follows.
“From 6pm today following measures will be put in place and will stay in place until 29 March:
Schools colleges and childcare facilities will close from tomorrow, where possible teaching will be done online or remotely, cultural institutions will close as well .
Indoor mass gatherings of more than 100 people and outdoor mass gatherings of more than 500 people should be cancelled.
Arrangements are being made to insure that everyone entering Ireland through ports and airports are fully informed and self isolate if they develop symptoms.
People should continue to go to work if they can, where it is possible you should work from home. In order to reduce unnecessary face to face in the workplace break times should be staggered, with meetings done remotely or buy phone .
Public transport will continue to operate, the shops will remain open and the government have plans to make sure supply chains will not be interrupted.
We need public and businesses to take sensible and level headed and responsible approach during this difficult time.
Restaurants, cafe’s and other businesses can stay open, but should look at ways they can implement public health advice from social distancing.
As a general rule people should outside of work people should seek to reduce interactions as much as possible.
You can all play your part by hand washing, coughing and sneezing into your elbow or tissue and seeking medical advice if you develop symptoms, this is now more important than ever.
The cabinet will meet later today, opposition party leaders and counter parts in Northern Ireland and Britain will be briefed.
In the period ahead the government will deploy all of the resources we can muster, human and financial to tackle this threat head on.
Those resources are extensive but not unlimited.”
He did not take any questions.
