FILE PHOTO: Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar speaks at a count centre, during Ireland's national election, in Citywest, near Dublin, Ireland, February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Lorraine O'Sullivan

DUBLIN: New measures to help protect residents in Irish nursing homes from the coronavirus are not being implimented fast enough, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said as his acting government faced criticism for the speed of its response.

Ireland has reported 444 coronavirus-related deaths from a total 12,547 cases, with 245 fatalities associated with nursing homes and 45 more with other care homes. There are clusters of two or more cases in 155 of the country's 550 retirement homes.