Student Gardaí training at Templemore are to be sworn in early as part of a new coronavirus policing plan.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris is expected to announce the unprecedented measures this morning.
The students at the Tipperary facility will skip the final months of their training and become fully qualified Gardaí immediately.
Some of the trainees have been in the college for just over a month and were being given rapid training ahead of their deployment.
Gardaí are to increase the level of high visibility to support communities and businesses.
After shoppers began panic buying yesterday, members of the force are expected to be deployed around shops and pharmacies to help with crowd control.
While the Taoiseach says the defence forces are also on standby if needed.
