Ten Irish people are believed to be on board two separate cruise ships where the coronavirus has been detected.
Minister Simon Coveney confirmed this morning that the Department of Foreign Affairs is working with several citizens on the virus-hit ships.
An Irish couple are trapped on the Diamond Princess - where over 450 passengers have tested positive for the illness - which is off the coast of Japan.
And more Irish tourists are on board the Westerdam off Cambodia.
Speaking on Morning Ireland, Mr Coveney said: "There are [two people on board the Diamond Princess].
"It's a small number though, and we're dealing with each individual case.
"There is a second cruise ship off Cambodia, we're working with Irish nationals on both of those ships to make sure they're safe.
"And if they're in quarantine to make sure those conditions are safe."
It comes after the US began airlifting 300 of its citizens from the vessel. Australia has followed suit while the UK wants to repatriate 74 British passengers on the ship.
The Irish couple are among more than 2,500 passengers and hundreds of crew who have been marooned off Yokohama for the past two weeks.
It’s understood the couple were holidaying in the region and were due to fly home earlier this month.
They do not know yet if they will have to spend another 14 days in quarantine if flown back to Ireland. But both have no symptoms.
It’s believed a man from Hong Kong spread the flu-like virus around the same time as the couple boarded the ship.
A spokeswoman for the Department said: “We are liaising with other like-minded countries regarding the consular needs of citizens.”
So far the highly-contagious virus, which originated in Wuhan, China, has killed more than 1,700 people and infected 71,000.
