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No decision has been made in relation to what restrictions will be eased from April 5th, the Taoiseach has said.<\/p>\nNo decision has been made in relation to what restrictions will be eased from April 5th, the Taoiseach has said.<\/p>\n
Miche\u00e1l Martin warned that the situation in relation to the virus was \u201cvery fragile\u201d.<\/p>\n
It comes as a meeting of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) planned for Thursday was postponed until next week.<\/p>\n
Health experts were due to meet this week to decide whether some restrictions could be lifted.<\/p>\n
The meeting had been put back to allow for further data to be analyzed before Nphet gave its advice to Government on reopening dates.<\/p>\n
The Cabinet is expected to meet on Tuesday to rubber-stamp any changes to current restrictions.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin told the D\u00e1il: \u201cThe situation in relation to the virus is very fragile.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have, in the last seven days, 3,800 cases.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sacrifices that people have made has had an impact on getting case numbers dramatically down from January figures.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Level 5 restrictions have worked effectively to bring numbers down very, very significantly from where they were.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the numbers are still high in one way too, and the fundamental reason for that is we\u2019re dealing with a variant that is highly transmissible and more dangerous.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo decision has been made in relation to the post-April 5th situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been engaging with public health advice and research in relation to this.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do acknowledge the enormous stress and strain and difficulties the current lockdown is imposing on people, in terms of personal restrictions, on their freedom and their liberties and not meeting up with others.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not want to go back to a situation where we have 2,000 people in hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sinn F\u00e9in leader Mary Lou McDonald said the public were \u201cfed up and angry\u201d living through three months of Level 5 restrictions.<\/p>\n
Ms McDonald said there were thousands of people who had not worked in a year.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany haven\u2019t seen family or friends in months, and small businesses are either closing or will struggle to survive,\u201d Ms McDonald added.<\/p>\n
She said people were worried about the prospect of a lost summer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re now approaching April 5th, the date that the public had hoped would bring some relief to restrictions, and yet people are still waiting to hear the Government\u2019s plan as to what lies ahead,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndeed, instead of clear communication and strong leadership, what we have had throughout this crisis is mixed messages and kite-flying.\u201d<\/p>\n
She criticized the \u201cstuttering\u201d vaccine rollout and failure to ramp up testing and tracing.<\/p>\n
Ms McDonald was also critical of the Government\u2019s quarantine system, saying it did not go far enough.<\/p>\n
From Friday, all passengers arriving into Ireland from one of the 33 countries flagged as high-risk by the Government will have to quarantine for 12 days at a hotel.<\/p>\n
They are now required to pre-book accommodation in a designated quarantine facility and to pre-pay for their stay.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe list of 33 countries is far too limited and only two of those 33 countries have direct flights into Ireland,\u201d Ms McDonald added.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a half-baked plan, we\u2019re left vulnerable to the importation of the virus and to further dangerous variants.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need a system of real mandatory quarantine for all non-essential arrivals from all countries.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Martin defended the Government\u2019s quarantine system, saying Ireland was the first country in the European Union to introduce mandatory hotel quarantine.<\/p>\n