A total of 319 students, some of whom have only been in training in the Garda College in Templemore for the last few weeks, have been sworn in as gardaí and assigned to stations all over the country.

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

Their tutors and instructors - 124 gardaí, sergeants and inspectors - are also being deployed to frontline policing in response to Covid-19.

The Garda College will effectively close on a temporary basis to be used only for limited firearms training, but has been offered to the Health Service Executive as a medical facility.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan presided over the attestation ceremony, which was brief and observed social distancing protocols.

Minister Flanagan said the new gardaí have never been so badly needed and will make a real impact in deterring crime and supporting other vital public services.

He said he that is "satisfied" that the trainees sworn in as gardaí today are "up to it".

He added 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."

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

443 additional Gardaí now available to support communities nationwide. We're stronger than ever. 14,758 sworn Gardaí supporting you in the fight against #COVID-19#WashYourHands #SocialDistancing pic.twitter.com/CWWU5PvNV7 — Garda Info (@gardainfo) March 20, 2020

The minister said the emergency laws that were passed by the Dáil yesterday were "special laws for special times."

He said he believes the measures passed to be proportionate and that he hopes some of the legislation never has to be enforced, but he said "it is there for one reason and one reason only - to protect the majority of the community."

In relation to the release of prisoners in light of the Covid-19 risks posed at Ireland's prisons, Minister Flanagan said "this was not an easy decision."

He said they have been temporarily released "under certain rigorous conditions", and that none of those released "pose a risk to the public."

He added that is prisons are high risk environments in terms of the spread of the coronavirus, and that space is needed for the potential isolation of inmates.