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Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue went shopping in Dublin city center hours before a scheduled Covid-19 test that later came back positive.
McConalogue is self-isolating in Donegal and was showing no symptoms of the virus yesterday after receiving news that he had tested positive. – an event that forced all members of the Cabinet to restrict their movements pending the results of the tests that were to be presented last night and this morning.
The ministers were told that they were not considered close contacts, meaning they will be free to go about their business as long as they have tested negative.
A McConalogue spokesman said he had followed all public health guidelines after he returned from Brussels, where he was on government business last week.
The Donegal TD was spotted on South Anne Street, just off Grafton Street, Dublin, at lunchtime Tuesday in the Sheridans Cheesemongers queue.
The Cabinet Minister also stopped by to speak with Fine Gael TD Fergus O’Dowd, with both men wearing masks everywhere, on the same street.
He was shopping in the city center shortly after the cabinet meeting at Dublin Castle, where ministers signed plans to re-impose Level 5 restrictions in the coming days.
Its spokesperson said that the Fianna Fáil TD had followed the rules for members of the Government who have returned from essential trips abroad.
McConalogue attended a meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Brussels last week.
He returned to Ireland on Thursday, where he was immediately tested and tested negative. According to ministerial protocols, they are retested five days later.
McConalogue underwent his second test scheduled around 4 p.m. Tuesday. A positive result returned yesterday morning.
Citing a government memo, McConalogue’s spokesman said Irish residents traveling abroad for essential purposes – including cabinet ministers – and restrict their movements other than for that purpose while abroad, they are not advised to restrict their movement upon returning to Ireland.
“Therefore, he did not have to restrict his movements,” the spokesman said.
Asked about the suitability of the purchasing minister in Dublin on Tuesday afternoon, the spokesman said: “He followed the rules, he followed the guidelines, he was doing his confirmation test a few days later and he was not obliged to restrict his movements at that time.
“There is nothing improper here and yesterday I was wearing a mask at all times [Tuesday]. ”
McConalogue wore a mask throughout the socially distancing cabinet meeting at Dublin Castle and lasted less than two hours.
Once the positive test was confirmed, an official from the Taoiseach Department contacted the ministers and the National Ambulance Service was sent to perform a smear with the expected results in a few hours.
Some ministers privately asked why McConalogue did not appear via video link at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, with one pointing out that Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe did so earlier this month after a trip abroad. .
McConalogue’s spokesman said the rules were clear and there was no requirement for ministers to restrict their movements when returning from essential trips abroad.
Online editors
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