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13th Mar 2020

Michael D. Higgins calls for a “spirit of solidarity” amid the spread of coronavirus

Rudi Kinsella

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The President released his St. Patrick’s Day statement on Friday evening.

President Michael D. Higgins has called for a “spirit of solidarity” in his St. Patrick’s Day statement.

Higgins paid tribute to the nation’s Patron Saint, while also addressing the coronavirus pandemic the world is currently dealing with.

“Today as the world faces the global spread of the coronavirus, we are called more than ever to follow the values embodied in the story of Saint Patrick.

“Those values of solidarity and concern for the well-being of our fellow citizens will play a fundamental role in our effective confronting of the challenge with which we are now presented.

“It is a challenge that calls on the traditional practice of our communities working together recognising the needs of all their members and, in particular, those who are most vulnerable.”

Take a look here:

The speech can be seen as Gaeilge here:

Clips via Áras an Uachtaráin

The statement was released on the same day that the Department of Health announced that there is now a total of 119 coronavirus cases on the island of Ireland, and 90 in the Republic of Ireland.

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