Ireland will impose a midnight curfew on bars, restaurants and nightclubs from Thursday despite 93% of its adult population being fully vaccinated. Prime minister Micheál Martin said the advice is now that everyone should work from home unless it is absolutely necessary to be at the place of work.

Martin spoke in a TV address alongside minister Heather Humphreys on Tuesday night:

The prime minister called for a “collective effort” to keep Ireland’s economy open, and pointed towards the picture emerging across Europe, where “cases” are generally rising and giving governments an excuse to bring in fresh restrictions.

In response, Irish MMA Champion Conor McGregor released a series of tweets following the reimposition of COVID restrictions in Ireland, saying that “Ireland will rise” and that he is ashamed of his nation’s government.

Irish government officials have already said that further restrictions may need to be introduced during the winter period.