James Cox
Cabinet will meet this afternoon to sign off on the removal of most Covid-19 restrictions, with a timeframe likely to be outlined by Taoiseach Micheál Martin in an address to the nation tonight.
According to the Irish Examiner, the 8pm closing time for hospitality could be scrapped as soon as tomorrow.
Hospitality groups have called for the 8pm curfew to be lifted tonight, with pubs and restaurateurs ready to extend hours.
Nphet recommendations
Cabinet will meet this afternoon to consider recommendations from health chiefs to end most of the state’s Covid restrictions.
It is understood that the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) has recommended restrictions around hospitality can be lifted, including the 8pm curfew and ending the requirement for a Covid pass to enter premises.
Nphet met on Thursday evening and issued a series of recommendations in a letter to ministers.
They include that live venues and sport venues can return to full capacity, an end to restrictions on household guests and a phased return to work.
However, the wearing of face masks is recommended to continue on public transport and in retail settings and Covid passes will still be needed for international travel.
The three party leaders in Government will meet at 12pm ahead of the full Cabinet meeting at 3pm.
The speech this evening will be Micheál Martin's 23rd state of the nation address this evening. The formal announcement of the easing of restrictions is likely to take place at 6pm.
Speaking on his way into Government Buildings, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said the view across Government was that “if there’s no longer a public health rationale for a restriction, there’s no political rationale for it either.”
Mr Varadkar would not be drawn on specifics but said "some work is needed" to decide when certain restrictions that are underpinned by regulation or primary legislation can be removed.
There are things that need to be worked out.
"There are things that need to be worked out. To make something that’s currently illegal legal can require a ministerial order to be rescinded, it sometimes requires primary legislation to be repealed, so we need to do a bit of work today on the timing," he said.
Mr Martin has promised tonight's address will be "clear and comprehensive".
“The situation is positive. We have come through Omicron better than we might have expected prior to Christmas,” he told RTÉ.
“The combination of the booster campaign and vaccination and the fact that Omicron does not seem to be as virulent as Delta and previous waves has meant that the impact on people, in terms of severe illness and death and ICUs, has been much less.
“So, therefore, I think people can be positive, we can be positive.”
While there is a possibility of the hospitality closing time being amended tomorrow, the Irish Examiner reports that the majority of restrictions will be lifted starting next week.
One senior minister said the Nphet advice was "all good".
One Nphet source said that the advice was optimistic, adding that there is still a long way to go until Covid-19 is a thing of the past.
