Covid-19: Taoiseach set to address nation to announce further restrictions
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Taoiseach Micheál Martin is set to address the nation this evening to announce further restrictions to personal freedoms under a return to a Level 5 lockdown.
A move to full Level 5 restrictions is to be approved by the Cabinet this afternoon, thus closing retail, gyms and ending home visits.
Ministers will meet for the second time in three days to consider restrictions amid significant concern over a significant spike in confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the State.
While greater restrictions are inevitable, senior ministers have said it is a priority to keep the nation's schools open in the New Year.
Last night’s figure of 1,546 new cases of Covid-19 was the highest single daily number recorded during the nine months of the pandemic.
Today’s meeting was called by Micheál Martin after public health officials confirmed what they called an “exponential” increase in the number of cases.
Sources speaking to the Irish Examiner have said the Cabinet is expected to:
- Introduce all Level 5 restrictions including the closure of non-essential retail
- Travel will again be limited to within 5km of their homes.
- The move to Level 5 will also end visits to homes ahead of New Year’s Eve.
Speaking ahead of Cabinet, Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath said the situation with the coronavirus is "deteriorating quite quickly".
The Government must today consider whether to remove some or all of the current modifications to Level 5, he said.
Mr McGrath said we are at a point where we can "see the destination on the horizon" particularly with the introduction of the vaccine.
"But as is often the case, the last part of the journey can be the most difficult and treacherous. We have a difficult road ahead but we know where we're going and we're well on that road now,” he said. Mr McGrath said we are at a "very serious juncture" in relation to the transmission of the virus.
"We fully appreciate the impact that any of the decisions we have made to date and any future decisions have on the day-to-day lives of people," he said.
"We are deeply conscious of that, but the first responsibility of any Government is to protect its people, and we will always be motivated solely by the desire to protect public health and save lives."
The Cork South-Central TD said the country’s hospital system is coping well, and the Health Service Executive has done a remarkable job, as have all frontline staff.
He said the Government does not want to scare people about the possibility of the hospital system getting overwhelmed, and the best thing that all of us can do is to follow the rules and the public health advice "and get this under control”.
"I think irrespective of the decision the Government will make today, we are at Level 5. And the first principle of Level 5 is that people should stay at home.
"Only in certain exceptions should people be leaving home to go about essential business, and I think perhaps that is a rule that isn't getting the traction it should. We all have to reflect on our movements and cut down on our social interaction,” he said.