Call for social distancing wardens to be employed by councils

There's a call for social distancing wardens to be hired by councils to clampdown on crowds gathering outside pubs.

Labour Councillor Joanna Tuffy's calling for the step, after large crowds were filmed outside pubs in parts of Dublin city centre on Saturday night.

She says the wardens would be in towns and city centres nationwide and would be given powers to ask groups to disperse.

Councillor Tuffy says schools wardens who are out of work could take on the job.

"I think it could happen very quickly, the contracts for school wardens allows them to work outside of school term, so I think that school wardens could be employed very quickly.

"In terms of legislation, I think existing legislation could be amended in the Dáil and the Seanad as a matter of emergency."