Senior Ministers Meet Today To Consider Closing Schools Until The End Of The Month

The cabinet sub-committee on Covid-19 will discuss the proposal before a final decision is made tomorrow.

It comes as 6,110 new cases of the virus including 291 in Cork were confirmed last night - the highest since the pandemic began.

The Chief Medical Officer says the country "can't cope" with the current levels of the disease.

Dr Tony Holohan says it's posing a risk to keeping schools open:

"We are concerned about the implications for the ongoing provision of education in this country and you've seen decisions taken up that kind in other jurisdictions, there are decisions to be taken by governments. We've made clear and couldn't have made clear over many months that high levels of transmission represent a risk to all activities."