Press release
Government announces phased easing of public health restrictions
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
If you have received the second dose of the vaccine more than 2 weeks ago, you can meet with other fully vaccinated people from 1 other household indoors without wearing masks or staying 2 metres apart. This measure comes into place immediately.
If you have received the second dose, you have to wait 2 weeks until you can meet other fully vaccinated people indoors.
| Activity | Guidance |
| Schools | In-school teaching to fully return |
| Meeting other households | You can meet 1 other household outside but not in your garden or theirs |
| Travel | You can travel within your county or within 20km of your home if crossing county boundaries |
| Construction | All residential construction can restart as well as early-learning and childcare projects |
| Activity | Guidance |
| GAA | Training for and playing of National Governing Body sanctioned and organised adult intercounty National Gaelic Games Leagues not including under 20 or minor competitions |
| Elite sport | High performing athletes, as approved by Sport Ireland, can resume |
| Activity | Guidance |
| Outdoor sport | Outdoor sports facilities can reopen (for example: pitches, golf courses and tennis courts, other facilities as appropriate) |
| Outdoor attractions | Outdoor visitor attractions can reopen (for example: zoos, open pet farms, heritage sites). Amusement parks are not permitted to open |
| Underage sport | Underage non-contact outdoor training in pods of 15 or fewer can restart |
| Funerals | Maximum attendance at funerals will increase to 25 |
| Activity |
| Full reopening of construction activity |
| Phased return of non-essential retail commencing with click and collect and outdoor retail, for example: garden centres/nurseries |
| Recommencement of personal services on a staggered basis |
| Reopening of museums, galleries and libraries |
| Recommencement of religious services on a staggered basis |
In line with the plan set out in COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021: The Path Ahead, the government has today announced the continued phased easing of restrictions for the month of April, to commence on 12 April.
After taking full account of the current status of COVID-19 in the community, and the public health advice, the government has come to the view that a widespread lifting of restrictions in advance of substantial vaccination would lead to unacceptable increases in infections, hospitalisations and deaths – and thus the very real prospect of having to, once again, reintroduce restrictions.
The better and safer approach is to continue with a phased easing of restrictions until a substantial level of vaccination has been achieved, and then reopen our society. The vaccination programme has entered its second phase, seeing a significant increase in the scale and speed of vaccinations.
As the vaccine programme is scaled up, people are encouraged to stay local and to continue to choose outdoor options over indoor options where possible.
The following phased easing of restrictions will begin on 12 April and continue through the month:
Expansion of elite sports to include:
The restrictions that are currently in place continue to have a considerable impact on the social and economic wellbeing of the community. However the vaccination programme gives us a pathway to a return to economic and social activity.
In the meantime Government’s community support, well-being programmes, employment and business supports continue, with the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit applicable to 30 June.
The measures announced today will continue up to the 4th of May, at which point the following areas will be under consideration: