James Cox
The Cabinet has been urged to meet over the weekend to give people clarity about how long Level 5 restrictions will last.
Ministers are due to meet again on Monday before making a formal decision on the easing of restrictions on Tuesday.
That is expected to include dates on the phased reopening of schools in March, updated vaccination timelines and an extension of Level Five restrictions until the start of May.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald says people deserve to hear from the Taoiseach sooner than next week.
Ms McDonald said: “My own view is that Cabinet should meet at the weekend and yes, the Taoiseach should come out and set the record straight."
“State very clearly and directly to the Irish people what is happening, what the plan is, and he should bring to an end the spin and the leaks and the uncertainty, I believe that's what the Taoiseach ought to do.”
Meanwhile, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said Taoiseach Micheál Martin did not say Level 5 restrictions would last until April and May.
Mr Varadkar said the country was facing into tough restrictions into April and that this was well known.
“We are going in the right direction,” he said, but the number of Covid cases were still “very high” which was why it was necessary to “proceed with caution”.
The advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) on Thursday was that schools and childcare could reopen on a phased basis during the month of March “and through the Easter break”.
But to do anything else such as reopening the construction sector or allowing more outdoor activities was too risky at this time, he said.
