TAOISEACH Micheál Martin has hinted that a number of Covid-19 restrictions could be eased around Easter, including the 5km travel limit.
Speaking at a Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday night, Martin is reported to have told colleagues that four key measures would be examined in early April, with a view to lifting them altogether.
As well as a re-think on the 5km travel limit, the Government is also considering easing restrictions on outdoor activity, sport and construction, according to the Irish Times.
A full review will take place following meetings with the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) and an announcement will be expected on April 5.
It's understood that NPHET feels that sufficient progress has been made in suppressing the virus in the wider community, and have agreed to consider the key changes on Easter Monday.
Under the Government's new Living With Covid plan, which was unveiled this week, April 5 has been earmarked as the date when the situation will be reviewed, but the Taoiseach gave no indication that there were any concrete plans to relax restrictions.
Earlier this month, Martin announced that Ireland would remain in lockdown until the end of April, in spite of the progress of the vaccination rollout.
Ireland's pandemic limitation strategy differs sharply from that of the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's, who earlier this week announced that Britain would be targeting June 21 as the day when all public health restrictions are lifted, as the nation hopes to have every adult vaccinated against Covid-19 by then.
The Irish Government has made no such promise, although they've said they're aiming to administer 80% of the adult population with their first dose of the vaccine by the end of June.
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