There are currently 33 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the island of Ireland.  3 of these are from Community Spread.  We have seen in other countries that this number will rise at a rapid rate.

International experts say that "China’s bold approach to contain the rapid spread of this new respiratory pathogen has changed the course of a rapidly escalating and deadly epidemic", however they also warn that "Much of the global community is not yet ready, in mindset and materially, to implement the measures that have been employed to contain COVID-19 in China".

Due to the delay in the spread of COVID-19 in Ireland, there is an opportunity to reduce the rate of new infections by cancelling the scheduled St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Ireland.  If we do not take the economic hit not, there will be an even larger economic hit down the road, and possible a loss of life (