The Taoiseach Micheál Martin has confirmed that the country will move to full Level 5 restrictions in an attempt to get the latest surge in cases of Covid-19 under control.
In a televised address this evening, he said the new restrictions would remain in place for "at least" one month.
Schools are to remain closed until 11 January under plans to tackle the increasing spread of Covid-19 under plans set to be agreed by Cabinet.
Primary and secondary schools had been due to reopen on Wednesday 6 January.
The decision does not apply to childcare facilities or créches.
The Cabinet has also agreed to impose full Level 5 restrictions until 31 January.
Level 5 restrictions include a ban on all household visits, the closure of non-essential retail and a 5km limit on travel.
Other restrictions include the closure of sports including golf and tennis, with the exception of professional or elite sports like Gaelic games and horse racing behind closed doors.
Agreement was reached at the second Cabinet meeting in three days, which was called amid growing concern around case numbers and an increase in people being admitted to hospital with Covid-19.
An eviction moratorium is to be reintroduced from midnight, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has said.
Darragh O'Brien also said that the Department is "working on a package to cover commercial rates waivers for affected businesses" for the first quarter of 2021.
Speaking before the meeting, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said very serious decisions had to be taken, adding that the situation is continuing to deteriorate.
"We are seeing a very rapid increase, an ongoing increase in cases, we are also seeing a very rapid increase in hospitalisations," he said on his way into the meeting.
"I, and Government, are watching what is happening in the UK very closely. What we are seeing now in NHS hospitals is, because of this variant which appears to be far more contagious the UK hospitals are beginning to become overwhelmed.
"So really the focus right now has to be on doing everything that is necessary to surprise this virus while we get vaccinating "
He said: "We need to keep people safe, we need to keep people aIive, and we need to keep our hospital system and our healthcare system open.
"So obviously very serious decisions have to be looked at today. The good news however is that we have the vaccine, there are more vaccines coming we are rolling it out, we are accelerating that and so t he strategy is to surprise the virus to give time to vaccinate front line workers and those who are most vulnerable."
The Taoiseach Micheál Martin has confirmed that the country will move to full Level 5 restrictions in an attempt to bring the latest surge in cases of Covid-19 under control.
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