Limiting attendance at funerals to 10 people is “harsh and unfair”, according to the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin.

In his homily for the Feast of St Patrick, Dermot Farrell said the limit is tolerable only in the most extreme circumstances, and for the shortest possible period.

He called on the Government to increase the numbers of mourners allowed at funerals as soon as level 5 restrictions begin to be eased.

Dr Farrell said the current restriction is so stringent some people are not able to attend the funeral of their own brother or sister.

“As a matter of human dignity and fairness — but even more so as matter of wellbeing and the restoration of normality, I call on the public authorities to give assurance that the legitimate desire of people to gather responsibly and within reasonable guidelines to exercise their constitutional right to worship will be prioritised in the easing of restrictions,” he said.