Non-essential retail, and 'outdoor businesses' could be part of a plan for re-opening the country through May, June and July, according to Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn.
The could be revealed at the end of this month.
The government is examining a number of areas that will be able to re-open as the number of vaccinations ramps up.
An Oireachtas committee was warned earlier that there is still the risk of a fourth wave of COVID by the summer.
But Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn says NPHET hopes to be in a position to open more areas next month:
"Click and collect, non-essential retail, further easing in terms of outdoor sports and training, measures like that, and then outdoor businesses.
"I would hope that by the end of this month we would be able to set out a plan, or at least an indicative high-level approach that we can hopefully adhere to over the next six to eight weeks that will see us through May and June."
