Coronavirus: Irish cabinet to self-isolate for a week and parliament to close after health minister tested for Covid-19

Minister told colleagues he was feeling unwell

Stephen Donnelly said he felt unwell (PA)

The entire Irish Cabinet has been forced to self-isolate after the health minister began feeling unwell.

Parliament has been adjourned for at least a week as Stephen Donnelly waits to find out whether he has Covid-19.

Mr Donnelly told colleagues he was feeling unwell on Tuesday afternoon and is reported to have requested a test.

Ceann Comhairle (speaker) Sean O Fearghail told the Dail (parliament): "I have very serious information. I'm told that arising out of events today, the cabinet must now self-isolate.

"Therefore the possibility of proceeding with business does not arise and the house stands adjourned, I suspect, until Tuesday next. Or until I'm directed by the taoiseach (prime minister) to reconvene the house. So Dail adjourned until further notice."

The announcement came on the day that the Irish government announced different levels of restrictions for the country, ranging from one to five.

Tighter restrictions were announced for Dublin, which has recorded a continuous rise of Covid-19 cases in recent weeks.

Mr Donnelly was with taoiseach Micheal Martin and tanaiste (deputy prime minister) Leo Varadkar to launch the restrictions earlier in the day.

Ireland has registered 48.5 cases per 100,000 people over the past 14 days, the 17th highest of 31 countries monitored by the European Union's independent European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, but the rate in Dublin is double that.