LISTEN: Warnings of more restrictions in border counties after Northern Ireland spike

By Cate McCurry, PA

Leo Varadkar has warned that border counties could face tighter restrictions following plans to bring in intensified coronavirus measures in Northern Ireland.

The Tanaiste said he will await any decision by the Northern Ireland Executive later on Wednesday.

Northern Ireland is set for tighter restrictions after executive ministers agreed to closures of schools, pubs and restaurants.

Mr Varadkar said: “We will hear what happens in Northern Ireland this morning and then we will see if we need to respond to that, particularly in relation to the border counties.

“Nphet will meet on Thursday then we will consider their advice after that and make further decisions at that point.

“The main reason as to why restrictions might be tightened in border counties is not just what is happening in the north, it’s the incidence rate as well, which is the highest in the country.

“We will need to respond to what happens as best we can, we tried to co-ordinate with Northern Ireland but the Northern Ireland Executive hasn’t agreed to an all-island approach.”

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald reiterated her party’s call for an all-island approach to deal with Covid-19.

She added that the island will “pay the price” for not having a more co-ordinated approach.

“We need to recognise, particularly in border areas, that the communities are intermingled and intertwined. They are one community,” she told RTE Morning Ireland.

“The problem of the virus transmission is not unique to the north.

“I understand that in Cork the numbers are climbing and that we are probably about a week or 10 days behind the north in terms of the aggression of the transmission, so we have an issue across the island.”