LAST UPDATE | 29 Apr 2020

THE TAOISEACH HAS said the wearing of face masks in public will not be compulsory if it is introduced.

The use of masks in public is being considered as part of efforts to tackle coronavirus in Ireland, Leo Varadkar said this morning. 

His comments come after Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan said the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET) would be considering the matter on Friday.

The Scottish government has issued guidance for people to shield their faces in places such as shops and on public transport. The Executive in Northern Ireland is due to consider a similar proposal.

“On the issue of face coverings – I’m not going to say masks because we want to make sure masks are preserved for healthcare staff – the issue of getting people to wear face coverings is under consideration at the moment.

“We are seeing what is happening in other countries. The science is equivocal – some people will say it is a good idea and some will say it is a bad idea.

“It is not one of those straightforward decisions where science tells you what the right thing to do is.

“I think we will be in a position to offer revised advice to the Irish public later in the week. Because the science is so uncertain on it, it is not something that we would make compulsory but something we would make advisory.”

Holohan told yesterday’s Covid-19 briefing that there would be a need to protect supplies of healthcare grade masks if that policy was to be implemented.

“If we were to introduce such a measure, we would have to be very clear that we want to protect healthcare grade masks of all kinds for use in healthcare settings or for use by people who have been recommended to wear masks by their doctors, that does happen for some people,” he said.