A reduced Dáil has begun meeting at Leinster House in order to pass emergency legislation in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Legislation being put before the Oireachtas will give the government powers to restrict movement during the crisis, and will also give effect to social welfare supports for people who have lost their jobs.
No more than a third of TDs are being allowed to attend to reduce the risk of the coronavirus being spread in Leinster House - so only around 50 of the 160 TDs are attending the Dáil today.
Parties will be represented on a DuHont basis: 11 TDs each are being allowed from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin, with smaller numbers for the other parties and groups of independents.
Social distancing measures are also in place to ensure TDs keep the recommended distance from each other.
Dáil staff setting up social distancing markers ahead of TDs arriving at 2 pic.twitter.com/2aqnz0JJOY
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) March 19, 2020
Opening today's session, Health Minister Simon Harris said: "We cannot stop this virus - we cannot wish it away. What we can all do is help slow its spread.
"We will only flatten the curve if we work together - but if we do work together we will save many, many lives."
Normally legislation this important would take weeks to debate and pass - but it is being pushed through all stages in just three hours this afternoon, with strict limits on speaking time for TDs.
The Seanad will sit tomorrow to complete the process.
The laws would allow the government to shut down areas of the country, order people to stay in their homes and to detain anyone with coronavirus who won't self-isolate.
Fianna Fáil's Stephen Donnelly speaking during today's reduced Dáil session. Image: Oireachtas TVA number of amendments are being pushed by opposition parties.
Labour wants a guaranteed sunset clause for these emergency powers to end in six months time.
At the moment they are due to end on May 9th but can be extended by the government.
Labour has also called for a ban on evictions for as long as these emergency measures are in place.
Minister Harris said he 'saw sense' in many of the concerns raised by other deputies, and told the Chamber that Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy is expected to bring forward legislation to protect renters next week.
