By Joleen Murphy
School is back for all students, residential construction has resumed and people are being urged to be cautious.
Public health restrictions slowly start to ease from today.
The five kilometre travel limit has been lifted, with people free to travel within their county or 20 kilometres from their home.
Two households can now meet outdoors- but not in private gardens.
Professor of Health Systems at DCU, Anthony Staines, says people need to keep their guard up.
"Essentially the government has put all of the responsibility for this on the Irish people.
"They are saying to people don't meet up very much, stay socially distanced, meet outdoors, all of which is very good advice."
Emer Neville is a 6th year student in Presentation Clonmel and a member of the Irish Second Level Students Union.
Speaking to Beat news, she says they're hopeful that everyone will be safe in the classrooms.
"We were worried but we were continuously told by Public Health that it is safe and that schools are controlled environments.
"So that has given us a lot of faith in the system.
"We are hopeful that cases don't rise and that all students, teachers and staff should be OK."
Though students are excited to be back, Emer says there are mixed feelings about the return to classrooms today.
"There are some students that are nervous about having the high numbers in school again.
"According to Public Health advice students are safe and regardless of that, everyone deserves the right to come back to school.
"I think 5th and 6th year students that are already back, they are quite nervous but in terms of students that are actually going back, I think they are all quite excited to get back to see their teachers and their friends and to have that proper in class education again."
