Any easing of restrictions on April 5th will be ‘quite restricted.’

That’s according to Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, who has confirmed that the public will be waiting at least another six weeks for a hair cut or a shopping trip.

Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast this morning, the Tánaiste said: “Reopening of shops, personal services, hospitality… that wouldn’t be happening on April 5th. You’d be talking realistically – at the earliest – end of April or early May.”

Mr Varadkar said that, according to NPHET advice, ‘outdoor things will be open before indoor things’ but said that he didn’t want to be accused of raising false hope.

Sports training may be permitted in April, although nothing has been confirmed, and salons and non-essential retail will reopen before hospitality.

“We don’t want to move too fast, and then end up falling backwards.” the Tánaiste said.

It’s one year since the first person died of Covid-19 in Ireland. 

Twelve months since the pandemic was declared, there have been 631 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours and 47 additional deaths.

14 of these deaths occurred in March, 18 occurred in February and 15 occurred in January. The median age of those who died was 83 years and the age range was 60 – 95 years.

Of the new cases, 247 were in Dublin, 50 in Kildare, 44 in Meath, 41 in Cork and 32 in Limerick, with the remaining 217 cases spread across 20 other counties.

Right now, 370 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 92 are in ICU.