Further 13 COVID-19 deaths confirmed
13 more people have died in the Republic after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
It brings the total number of deaths here to 98.
A further 402 new cases of the virus have also been confirmed in the Republic today - the highest number of new cases in a day to date.
The nationwide total of cases now stands at 3,849.
Exchequer runs €2.5bn deficit in first quarter
The country has spent €1.1bn more than planned in the first three months of the year.
Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has this afternoon published the Exchequer returns for the first quarter of 2020.
They show a 2.5bn deficit for January, February and March.
Tax revenue in March was €800m below expectations as the country battles the COVID-19 outbreak.
Over 500,000 receiving State supports
More than 513,000 people are on the Live Register or receiving an income support payment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show the the coronavirus crisis had a significant impact on the labour market during March.
The unadjusted Live Register total stands at 205,209 for last month - made up of 113,268 men and 91,941 women.
The seasonally adjusted total for March was 207,200, up 24,400 from February.
Children’s Hospital legal action
The board responsible for the development of the new National Children’s Hospital in Dublin has begun legal action against the construction company.
It’s over a dispute in relation to the validity of an alleged instruction given by the board to begin above ground works over a year ago.
The project has already attracted a lot of public criticism and controversy, especially in relation to its spiralling costs and size of the estimated final bill.
In this latest turn of events, the board responsible for its development has now initiated legal action against BAM Ireland, the company contracted to build it.
Harris says Dáil session a risk to public health
The Minister for Health has said today’s Dáil sitting poses a risk to public health.
TDs are meeting for a three-hour Dáil this session this afternoon to debate the Government’s health and welfare responses to the COVID-19 outbreak.
With no more than 30% of representative allowed to attend in order to ensure social distancing, much of the discussion has focused on whether the session should have been held at all.
The Business Committee had a “long and heated” meeting on the issue this afternoon after Fine Gael TDs called for the session to be cancelled.
