The Minister for Social Protection has said Leo Varadkar is right to join the thousands of other Irish people returning to help the health service during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Taoiseach has confirmed that he re-registered as a medical practitioner and will work one shift a week as the crisis unfolds.

Mr Varadkar worked as a doctor for ten years before leaving the medical register in 2013.

On the Pat Kenny Show this morning, Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty said he will not be putting himself at undue risk.

“I don’t think he is putting himself in harm’s way.

“What I understand is that he offered his help – he is obviously a doctor – I think some 50,000 people signed up the HSEs ‘On Call for Ireland’ and he is now one of them which I think is great.

“As far as I know, he is doing telephone assessments for people who call with initial symptoms to determine whether they get sent for tests or not.

“So, if he has time to spare on a Sunday that helps the entire country going through what we are going through, as well as everything else he is doing as Taoiseach, I think fair play to him. Hat’s off.”

The HSE has spoken to thousands of applicants after more than 70,000 people responded to its ‘On Call for Ireland’ callout.

You can listen back to teh full interview with Regina Doherty here: