Covid-19 restrictions
Most of the current Covid-19 restrictions are being extended for another two weeks.
Monday May 18th is now the day the country is set to begin the process of re-opening, with outdoor workers - such as those in construction and landscaping - to be allowed back to work from then.
- Garden centres, hardware stores and a number of other retail outlets will begin opening from then, while small groups of families and friends will be able to meet outside.
- Some sports and recreational activities will also be able to resume from then, but only within small groups.
- The distance from home in which people can exercise is also to be increased from 2 to 5 kilometres from next Tuesday.
- School and universities will be able to begin reopening from September in the new school year.
"The Coronavirus is cruel and inhuman. But the stories I'm hearing every day are of human kindness" the Taoiseach says
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) May 1, 2020
There have been some changes to the current restrictions for now.
Older people who have cocooning will be able to leave their homes for exercise from next week 'if they avoid all contact with other people'.
The Government has also unveiled a roadmap for the easing of the restrictions.
Described as the 'Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business after COVID-19'.
Mr Varadkar said five phases of easing restrictions will be spread across the coming months.
They will have three weeks between them - with the final phase currently planned for mid-August.
In an address to the nation, the Taoiseach said the coronavirus curve has been flattened and now plateaued.
However, he said there are still too many cases of the virus, as well as patients in ICU.
Separately, health officials confirmed this evening that there have been 34 further deaths from COVID-19 and 221 new cases in the Republic
