The 2020 coronavirus pandemic prompted the `` biggest repatriation ever in the history of the Republic of Ireland '' , which meant the rescue of citizens stranded in foreign lands as Australia , New Zealand , India , South Africa , and Vietnam .
On 22 March , Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney announced the planned repatriation , by charter flight , of Irish citizens from Peru .
2020 coronavirus pandemic in the Republic of Ireland