Restrictions on movement will not be lifted on Easter Sunday.
While the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) have yet to make a formal recommendation to extend the measures, the Health Minister says it's highly unlikely they will be relaxed.
NPHET is meeting today to discuss restrictions but will not make a final call until Friday.
Health Minister Simon Harris says the measures are working and need to stay in place.
"We'll get the formal advice later in the week but I believe in being truthful and honest with people in this regard.
"I think that any kind of sudden departure from the existing restrictions is highly unlikely, particularly when we know they're working.
We are not going to do anything as a government that will in any way jeopardise the lives and wellbeing of Irish people. We have got to stay the course.
Earlier, Minister Harris said the rate of growth is slowing but is still too high.
"There are some encouraging signs there in terms of the rate of growth but too early to say.
"We are entering a very, very crucial week.
"The virus is very much here, it is still at an unsustainable level. While we are making progress, we are not yet where we need to be.
He said that there are still a number of worrying signs including the 99 clusters reported in nursing homes across the country and the number of ICU beds.
"This is all about saving lives. As tough and challenging as these measures are we are going to stay the course until we get to a point where we can say it is safe for our people to return to a degree of normality."
The State's Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan advised that restrictions on travel and work will only be lifted when the country has a grip on the outbreak.
He said that there are factors to be considered before relaxing any measures including that "we know we have the capacity in our testing, the capacity in terms of the kit that has to be available, to really be strong and focused on finding cases.
"Our work over the course of the next one to two weeks will be to try and get us into that position."
The World Health Organisation has warned countries not to completely lift restrictions in one go.
