Nphet postpones discussion on April 5 easing of restrictions

Garda members on Covid-19 level 5 travel restirction checkpoint duty at Cork Airport. Picture: Dan Linehan

The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) has postponed a key meeting on deciding whether or not Covid-19 restrictions can be eased next month.

The meeting which was planned for Wednesday on easing restrictions in April has been put off until Monday.

NPHET says it wants more time to see whether there is a consistent trend of rising cases and assess all the data available.

Public Health Officials will then advise the government ahead of a cabinet decision on Tuesday.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin says they haven't decided whether the limited easing of Level 5 that was planned can go ahead.

He said: "No decision has been made in relation to the post-April 5 situation. No decision has been made.

"We'll be engaging with public health advice and other research in relation to this.

"We do acknowledge of course the enormous stress and strain and difficulties the current lockdown is imposing on people."

It comes as the European Commission has decided not to introduce a vaccine export ban on any country amid a row about stockpiling.

But new criteria will apply when assessing individual export requests - meaning the available supply to a country looking for exports and whether they've played ball with the EU on supply will be taken into account.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin says they haven't decided whether the limited easing of Level 5 that was planned can go ahead. Picture: Darragh Kane

EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis says each vaccine export request will be taken on a case-by-case basis.

He said: "Some 10 million doses have been exported from the EU to the UK and zero doses have been exported from UK to EU.

"So if we discuss reciprocity, solidarity and global responsibility, it's clear that we need to look at those aspects of reciprocity and professionality."

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has said export bans could lead to a slowing in the pace of production of the vaccines.

He said the Irish Government believes banning exports is the wrong approach.

He said: "If we get into the space of blocking the exportation of certain products linked to vaccines and that results in a retaliation from other trading blocs, we could slow down the pace of manufacture and that doesn't make sense."