Martin says country should take heart from declining Covid-19 rate as 1,703 new cases confirmed

People queue outside the Citywest Covid-19 vaccination centre in Dublin (Damien Storan/PA)

Ireland should “take some heart” from early indications that rates of Covid-19 in Ireland may be declining, the Taoiseach has said as a further 1,703 cases were confirmed on Saturday.

While incidence rates of the virus in Ireland are among the highest in the EU, health officials and politicians have consistently pointed to the success of Ireland’s vaccination programme.