'Everything is up for grabs' as Cabinet prepares for meeting on Covid-19 restrictions 

The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister Eamon Ryan are to meet tonight ahead of a Cabinet meeting at 9am tomorrow morning as sources describe the mood as "everything is up for grabs", regarding changes to Covid-19 restrictions.

Ministers have warned that the current Covid-19 situation in Ireland is "deadly serious".

The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister Eamon Ryan are to meet tonight ahead of a Cabinet meeting at 9am tomorrow morning as sources describe the mood as "everything is up for grabs", regarding changes to Covid-19 restrictions.

Government sources say it's likely that inter-county travel will be banned again shortly after Christmas Day.

The meetings have been labelled a "moveable feast" due to the awareness that Ireland's Covid-19 figures are going up.

There will be an announcement from Government at around 12 noon after Cabinet has decided how to proceed.

The Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan defended the Cabinet decision to wait until Tuesday to announce if restrictions will be reintroduced sooner than January 6, saying the Cabinet needed to be fully updated by their European colleagues and by Nphet. 

“It’s far better to get all the information” before making a decision, he said.

It is likely that there will be a return to restrictions sooner than originally planned, he admitted. There was now a dual timeline, he said. It was going to be a balance between how quickly the vaccine could be rolled out and continuing to implement public health measures.

“As a country we have done well," he said, adding that the new variant of Covid proved how important it was for people to take the vaccine when it becomes available. 

“It is the best way for us getting away from this problem.” 

The Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris said the situation is "deadly serious".

"There are really two things happening in relation to Covid-19 and happening simultaneously. We've seen a significant increase in the number of cases in our own country, in recent days and alongside that we've now seen the emergence of a new strain of the virus.

"I know how important Christmas is to everybody. Many of us have felt lonely isolated missing family and Christmas is really important to us.

The question all of us have to ask ourselves is, is it worth it when it comes to our plans?

"Christmas is inter-generational. Christmas is the time when we come together.

"So, if you have been socialising a lot in recent days and weeks you need to bear that in mind.

"What we don't want to happen, is to see a new strain of the virus take hold against the backdrop of very significant inter-generational effects. I think it could be extremely concerning."

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe added that we must protect the most vulnerable.

"As we approach another challenge, we can see that over the last number of days, the environment with this terrible disease has changed again.

"We know that we are asking people to do this at a time in which they've already had to make so much sacrifice and made so much change in their lives."

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said that although everything "will be looked at", the Government are not minded to close schools for longer over the Christmas holiday.