A teenage boy has been arrested in Waterford in connection with an investigation into people coughing on others on purpose.

He was picked up for a public order offence in Dungarvan on Monday.

Separately, a nurse says a group of teenagers surrounded and coughed on her while she was out for a run in Clontarf in Dublin.

And gardaí are investigating reports of a man coughing into the face of an elderly couple in Co Kildare.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan says gardaí have the power to act on this so-called ‘corona challenge’.

"I don't come from a totalitarian or authoritarian perspective here because I believe the gardaí are there to help, they're there to assist, they're there to support, they're there to advise," he said.

"If more is needed we have the law and that's why the Dail sat last week to give emergency powers in terms of assisting further the gardaí to enforce the new regime should they deem it necessary."

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