Covid 19 restrictions will be extended for another 2 weeks with few changes.
From May 5th the travel limit will increase from 2 to 5 kilometres and older people who are cocooning will be allowed to leave their homes for exercise.
The measures were agreed by cabinet earlier, follow recommendations from the National Public Health Emergency Team.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says Ireland will begin to reopen from the 18th of May.
He said that from May 18, some retail outlets like garden centres, hardware stores and repair shops will reopen and some sporting activities in small groups will be allowed.
Mr Varadkar said if the restrictions are lifted too early, everything we have achieved would be lost and we could be back to square one.
He did however say that many regular health services will resume operating and it will be possible to meet friends and family in small groups outdoors.
He emphasised that we have not yet won the fight and too many people are in intensive care units with Covid-19 and we have too many deaths.
