TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has laid out the changes to Covid-19 regulations that will take place over the next month, with some travel restrictions to be eased from 12 April and benefits for those fully vaccinated. 

Two people who have been fully vaccinated are to be allowed meet up indoors or outdoors, Martin said. 

Guidance published by the government this evening states that this measure comes into place immediately but that people must have received their second dose at least two weeks ago. 

The other change to social gatherings will see two households being permitted to meet up outdoors for recreational purposes, also on 12 April. Previously, such household meetings were permitted for exercise only. 

Guidance released by the government this evening states that these meetings should be outdoors but not in private gardens and that social distancing should continue to be observed. 

Also from 12 April, the construction of homes is also set to resume with construction currently closed except for listed exceptions. The full re-opening of construction activity will not considered until May. 

In terms of travel, people will be permitted to travel within their own county from 12 April, extending the 5km non-essential travel limit that has been in place for over three months.

The easing of travel restrictions also means that people can travel within 20km of their residence even if it means crossing county boundaries.

From 19 April, senior inter-county GAA training is set to resume as the sport regains its elite level designation allowing it to take place. Other 

On 26 April sport is set to be opened up further, with non-contact sports like tennis and golf permitted once more and non-contact training for under 18s also returning.

Children returning to no-contact training must take place outdoors and in pods of 15. 

Outdoor visitor attractions like zoos and wildlife parks will also be allowed to reopen from 26 April. 

This date is also slated for an increase in the numbers allowed at funerals, this will increase mourners to 25 from the current limit of 10.

Guidance released by the government notes that “linked gatherings should not take place before or after funeral services”. 

In outlining the phased plan, Martin said that the measures would continue up until 4 May and thereafter retail and personal services like hairdressers would be permitted “depending on progress” and that this would happen “on a staggered basis”

Other services that could return in May are religious services, museums, galleries and libraries.

The Taoiseach said that the changes are being introduced in the context of the now-dominant B117 variant which he described as a “different beast”. 

He said that there will be scope for “much greater freedom later in the summer” due to “a significant ramping up the vaccination programme”. 

“Vaccines were always something that we were looking forward to – that is no longer the case,” the Taoiseach said – noting that in past speeches he had always had to refer to the way out of the pandemic in the future tense. 

We can and we should take time this Easter to look forward with hope. Less than two weeks from now, all of our children will be back at school. In four weeks, many of our outdoor sporting facilities will be open again. In over seven weeks everyone over 70 will have been fully vaccinated.

“We are on the final stretch of this terrible journey,” he added.