Level 5 to continue for at least another 6 weeks
Level 5 restrictions will be extended until April 5th this afternoon with home building remaining shut for another month.
Last night the cabinet sub-committee on COVID-19 agreed to extend Level 5 restrictions until at least April 5th when there will be a review.
The only changes will be the re-opening of schools and childcare.
Leaving Cert students, junior infants, senior infants, 1st and 2nd class will return to the classroom next Monday, March 1st.
5th years and the remainder of primary students will be back on March 15th.
The rest of secondary school students won't be back until after Easter, on the 12th of April.
Cabinet sub-committee meeting over.
- Schools to re-open from March 1st
- Childcare back with ECCE children March 8th
- No other restrictions lifting in March
- Home construction to remain shut for another month
- Review date for all Level 5 measures on April 5th— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) February 22, 2021
Childcare will return on a staggered basis with those on the ECCE scheme being back from March 8th and all others on March 29th.
There will be no re-opening for construction next month, which some Ministers believe will lead to a housing hangover later this year.
A revised living with COVID document released later will be "nothing like" the UK's according to a cabinet source.
It won't provide dates beyond April for when parts of the economy can re-open, with fears in some parts of government that it lacks a bit of hope.
There will also be an update given on the timeline for vaccinations and a review of the priority access list.
This is likely to lead to people with certain underlying conditions being moved up the list.
Over 340,000 vaccines have been administered so far, of which over 214,000 are first doses.
Reported by Sean Defoe
