The Irish government has signalled an easing of lockdown restrictions from Tuesday.
People who are over 70 and currently cocooning can leave their homes as long as they avoid contact with others.
The 2km exercise limit currently in place for the Irish population will be extended to 5km.
Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar made the announcement in an address to the public on Friday evening.
Mr Varadkar said the virus has “transformed our lives in ways that could not have imagined”.
He said the current restrictions have to be extended until 18 May, but with some loosening of the measures.
‘Risk is ever present’
Mr Varadkar said the risk of a second phase of the virus is ever present.
The government’s road map to ease Covid-19 restrictions will set out five stages but will not have specific dates. It will work on two to four week cycles.
Thirty-four more people who were diagnosed with Covid-19 have died in the Republic of Ireland.
There have now been a total of 1,265 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland.
There have also been 221 more cases of the coronavirus diagnosed in the Republic, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 20,833.
