Cabinet to discuss full reopening plans on Thursday

A very quiet Grafton St in Dublin due to restrictions. The Cabinet will meet on Thursday to lay out the steps to be taken in the coming months. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

A number of Covid-19 restrictions ease today as the Government weighs up the next steps in reopening society.

From today, zoos, wildlife parks, golf, and tennis clubs will reopen, with children's sports training allowed to return in non-contact pods of 15.

The number of mourners allowed at a funeral will also go up to 25.

With the current restrictions set to expire next week, Cabinet will meet on Thursday to lay out the steps to be taken in the coming months.

It is expected that one measure to be taken from Thursday is the reopening of religious services with up to 50 attendees.

However, it is not expected that weddings and funerals will follow suit. Government sources say that the differentiation is being made because funerals and weddings feature social events afterwards.

Thursday's announcement is likely to see a roadmap set out for non-essential retail's return on a click and collect basis in May, along with personal services like hairdressers. The plan will also give some indication on when inter-county travel, hospitality and household meetings can resume into the summer.

European Affairs Minister Thomas Byrne said that today was "a huge day" for the country, but also said that the reopening would likely be cautious.

"What we open now — there's no going back," he told Newstalk.

"It's better that we open in stages. I think another few weeks of step-by-step opening will do us a lot of good."

Mr Byrne said that while he "did not have it in him" to condemn anyone who congregated outdoors over the weekend, there was "an issue" that good weather brings people together and there is "an argument to have that happen in a formal setting".