Cabinet agrees to extend Level 5 lockdown until April 5

Cabinet will meet this lunchtime to sign off on the latest extension to Ireland's level 5 lockdown

The update to the Living With Covid strategy is not expected to give any dates or metrics by which society will reopen. Picture Denis Minihane

Cabinet has agreed to extend Level 5 lockdown until April 5.

The decision will see the country locked down for the first three months of 2021.

However, schools will open on a phased basis from March 1, when the youngest four classes and Leaving Cert students will return.

With restrictions set to expire on March 5, the Government will this evening announce the extension, meaning that the country will spend the first three months of the year in lockdown, following an explosion of cases around Christmas time, when the economy was reopened for three weeks. 

The update to the Living With Covid strategy is not expected, however, to give any dates or metrics by which society will reopen. 

There will be no easing of either restrictions or the 5km travel rule with one minister saying last night that March and April will be "quite difficult months".

Following a lengthy meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee last night, the plan will be brought to a full meeting of the Cabinet today and announced in full this evening at around 6pm.

Children in the youngest four classes of school and those sitting the Leaving Cert will return to school next Monday, while ECCE childcare will return a week later.

Fifth-year pupils and other primary school children are likely to return two weeks later on March 15, but non-exam years are unlikely to return until after Easter and third-level students will not be back on campus until September.

The plan allows for a review of other measures in Easter week, the week beginning April 5, at which stage some relaxation on social activity including sports such as golf and tennis are likely.

However, non-essential retail and personal services including hairdressers will not reopen until at least May and hospitality is likely to stay shut until June.