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Dublin Live
Dublin Live
National
Ciara Phelan & Emma Nevin

Covid-19 Ireland: Taoiseach Micheal Martin announces details of massive restrictions speech ahead of NPHET meeting

Taoiseach Micheal Martin says he will give a "clear and comprehensive" statement to the public tomorrow evening - as it is expected he will announce a major easing of restrictions.

NPHET will meet today and government ministers are expecting Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan to give the green light to lift restrictions in a phased approach.

The Taoiseach confirmed Cabinet will meet again tomorrow.

Speaking on Morning Ireland today, he said will inform the public of "what lies ahead" in the medium and short term.

The Taoiseach said: "After that Government meeting, I intend to give a clear and comprehensive statement about what lies ahead both in the short term and the medium term.

"The situation is positive and we have come through Omicron better than we might have expected prior to Christmas."

The Taoiseach said the combination of the booster campaign and Omicron not causing as much severe illness has kept hospital and ICU numbers stable.

He said Covid-19 "isn't going away" but Ireland has entered a "new phase".

"Therefore I think people can be positive, we can be positive," he added.

"I would like to thank the people of Ireland for the manner of which they've adapted through the Delta wave and the Omicron wave to enable us to manage and control its impact on people's lives and on our hospital services.

"So I think we are entering into a new phase, to be in a position tomorrow evening to give a comprehensive and clear position in terms of the lifting of restrictions.

"And also, how we intend now to live with Covid-19 over the next while, because Covid-19 isn't going away, but we are definitely entering a new phase of it."

When asked if there will be an early easing of restrictions, the Taoiseach said: "Very possibly yes."

He said: "The original restrictions were there until the end of the month.

"We may now go before that and again, I do want to allow NPHET to meet today and so on. But yes, I think we can look forward to an earlier easing of restrictions than we might have anticipated."

He said some restrictions will remain because "Covid-19 hasn't gone away".

"There are some areas that we want to keep because as I said, Covid-19 hasn't gone away," he stressed.

"There could be another chapter of Covid-19 and we need to be very vigilant and mindful of that.

"Mask wearing for example would be an important feature."

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