By Ireland will start to lift a three-month coronavirus lockdown next month, prime minister Micheal Martin said Tuesday, even if many of the restrictions will remain in place until May.
“We are on the final stretch of this terrible journey,” Martin said in a national address.
“By being safe now, while significantly ramping up the vaccination programme, we will enjoy a much greater freedom later in the summer.”
Ireland entered into its third coronavirus lockdown in late December, closing restaurants, pubs, and non-essential shops and asking people to stay at home or limit non-essential travel to within a radius of five kilometres (three miles).
But starting from April 12, people will be allowed to travel freely within their county. Two households will be permitted to meet outdoors and some paused construction work will restart.
Pupils already began returning to the classroom on a phased basis in March, but schools should be fully opened by April 12.
