Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is to broadcast to the nation at 9pm.
The broadcast is being made under Section 112 of the Broadcasting Act that allows the Government air time for announcements during a major emergency.
Tonight at 9 I’ll speak to you on @RTE and @VirginMedia_One. This is a Patrick’s Day like no other. We cannot stop the virus but we can push it back. We will always put your life and your health first. In future let them say: when things were at their worst, we were at our best
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) March 17, 2020
In the past hour, he tweeted: “This is a Patrick’s Day like no other. We cannot stop the virus, but we can push it back. We will always put your life and your health first. In future, let them say: when things were at their worst, we were at our best.”
Mr Varadkar made the announcement this evening some time after the video-conference with European heads of Government, and a tele-conference with the Cabinet to agree emergency Covid-19 legislation.
