The coronavirus outbreak has led to almost half of Dublin’s Catholic priests being confined to their homes as they are aged over 70, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has said.

The most recent figures showed that 413 priests and 22 deacons were serving in Dublin. Dr Martin said about 200 of these were in isolation following the Government’s direction that people aged 70 and over stay indoors to limit their risk of infection – a process called cocooning.

The archbishop said this scenario was “placing a great strain on those who remain active in ministry” and that priests were not immune to “the fears and anxieties” many are feeling at the moment and “deserve our support”.

The 74-year-old said he was among the clerics cocooning as a result of the pandemic.