President Higgins signed into law a bill that sought to restrict public activity in the Republic of Ireland in the war against coronavirus in the pandemic .
After passing through the Dáil , the bill passed without a vote the following day ( 27 March ) through all stages in the Seanad ( in its final sitting before counting got underway in the 2020 Seanad election ) , and President Higgins signed the bill into law the same day.  : //www.philiplee.ie/emergency-measures-in-the-public-interest-covid-19-act-2020-briefing-note/ There followed a paralysis of the national legislature on the basis that the Taoiseach had to nominate the final eleven members of the Seanad , Varadkar ( as outgoing Taoiseach ) did not have the support of the Dáil ( and was therefore prevented by the Constitution from filling the vacancies ) and no other nomination for Taoiseach could be agreed upon by all parties in the Dáil.  : //www.thejournal.ie/seanad-leas-ceann-comhairle-5055987-Mar2020/On the evening of Friday 27 March , Taoiseach Leo Varadkar gave a live televised speech to the nation during which he announced further restrictions on public activity .
2020 coronavirus pandemic in the Republic of Ireland