The Department of Health has confirmed 126 new cases of coronavirus in Ireland, bringing the total to 683.

The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in the UK now stands at 177.

There have been 167 in England, six in Scotland, three in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.

The number of deaths across the UK is up 40 on the equivalent total for yesterday.

This is the biggest day-on-day rise since the outbreak began.

The first coronavirus-related death in the UK was reported 15 days ago, on 5 March.

Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan says that he is "satisfied" that the 319 trainees sworn in as gardaí today are "up to it".

He explained that these members of the force will be "assisting uniformed officers" and that each person will be "working as part of a Garda team in response to the emergency situation."

Garda Headquarters said the most recent intake of students will work only in the stations.

All members, Minister Flanagan said, will have the opportunity to return to Templemore to complete further training at a later date if necessary.

Almost 450 gardaí have mobilised for front line policing in a day to bolster the strength of An Garda Síochána in the biggest deployment of its kind in the history of the force.

The action, which involves closing the Garda College, Templemore, Co Tipperary, saw all 319 recruit gardaí at the college passing out on Friday morning at the college after effectively skipping the remainder of their training for now.

Friday morning’s passing out ceremony, which complied with social distancing protocol, was done behind closed doors, for speed and with no ceremony due to the coronavirus, but has been recorded and photographed for posterity.

Furthermore, because those newly sworn-in gardaí have now been assigned to stations nationwide and the college is closed, 124 Garda members who normally teach at the college or fill other posts there have also been deployed to the frontline.

The Seanad has passed emergency legislation giving the State new powers to detain people, restricting travel and keeping people in their homes during the Covid-19 crisis.

The President Michael D Higgins will now have to sign the legislation before it becomes law.