Ten suspicious packages feared to contain anthrax were delivered to addresses throughout the State yesterday.
The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, said the packages had been sent to Britain for analysis and it could take 24 hours to receive the results.
St Andrew's College, Booterstown, Dublin, was evacuated shortly before 11 a.m., but the 1,200 pupils were soon back in class.
The delivery of suspicious packages to Coolock and Ballymun Garda stations are also being investigated.
A package was received at the Parliament Hotel, Dublin, and the offices of the Irish Independent, Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, where four staff members underwent medical examination.
Packages were also delivered to Enniscorthy post office; an insurance business in Shannon, Co Clare; and a doctor's clinic in Tralee, Co Kerry.
Garda∅ said a suspected case at Trinity College proved to be a false alarm. A package delivered to a house in Crumlin, Dublin, had been cleared, said gardβi.
In the North, at least 55 people were sent to hospital as a precautionary measure after three separate anthrax scares yesterday.