Four Fine Gael senators in self-isolation after two test positive for Covid-19

Two senators have tested positive for Covid-19.

Four Fine Gael senators are in self-isolation after two tested positive for coronavirus.

It is understood Tim Lombard, Jerry Buttimer, Emer Currie, and Garret Ahearn have all been forced to self isolate after two of the senators tested positive for Covid-19. The other two senators will be in isolation as a precautionary measure.

The four senators have not been in Leinster House since last Friday.

The authorities in the Houses of the Oireachtas  have been informed of the positive cases. It comes in the same week that there had been one confirmed outbreak in Kildare House among staff.

The business enterprise committee was told on Monday by the committee chair officials could not be at the meeting on Tuesday due to the outbreak.

The Dáil has continued to sit in Dublin's Convention Centre two days a week in order to ensure social distancing guidelines can be adhered to, at a cost of €25,000 per day.

Last month, a number of ministers were forced to restrict their movements after coming into contact with positive cases. Tánaiste Leo Varadkar tested negative for Covid-19 after being informed that he was in close contact with someone who tested positive. He restricted his movements for 14 days.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan was also forced to restrict his movements while a family member went for a test, and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney after attending an EU meeting with an Austrian minister who later tested positive for the virus.