All Saint Patrick’s Day parades have been cancelled as part of measures to combat the spread of Coronavirus.
A Cabinet sub-committee had earlier announced the cancellation of the much heralded Dublin parade, and it has since been decided to cancel all parades over the course of the festival.
The directive takes the decision out of the hands of town parade committees, some of which had already decided to cancel their plans.
Opposition leaders were also briefed this afternoon on the state of play when it comes to managing the virus.
The parade cancellations are part of a wider scheme of contingency measures taken by the Government, including:
– All St Patrick’s Day events cancelled
– €430m for HSE to get extra resources
– €400m in funds allocated for Brexit prep being re-purposed for Coronavirus
– Varadkar to raise issue of flights and supply chains with EU Council leaders through teleconference tomorrow
Employers groups will also be briefed later on sick pay for those who are forced to self-isolate because of COVID-19.
The Taoiseach has also cut short his annual trip to the US to stay in Ireland tomorrow before traveling to the White House on Wednesday.
