Health Minister under fire on Zero Covid comments

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has come under fire for saying a Zero Covid strategy is not possible in Ireland. 

The Minister made the remarks in the Seanad last night as new legislation on mandatory hotel quarantine was passed.

Minister Donnelly said even harsher restrictions would be needed until the autumn to achieve Zero Covid.  

Labour leader Alan Kelly was among those to criticise the remarks today.

"I think it's absolutely ridiculous for him to say with such certainty that a suppression strategy wouldn't work because it's never been tried.

"Living with Covid has failed. What we do know is that a suppression strategy would be far better at dealing with not letting such variants in while we get the vaccine rolled out.:"