Cabinet will consider new public health advice on the reopening of barbers and hairdressers today.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) met yesterday to discuss bringing forward the reopening day from July 20th to June 29th.
It's one of a number of significant changes to the Roadmap for Reopening that expected this evening.
The government will issue guidance on summer weddings will be permitted with a cap on the number of guests.
The number of people that can attend indoor gatherings will be raised on June 29th and again in July - allowing funerals, weddings and some small concerts to happen with social distancing.
It's understood from July 20th as many as 500 people will be allowed to gather outdoors, opening the gate for spectator sport to start again.
New guidelines for gyms, theatres and cinemas are also expected today - with the latter possibly re-opening in August with social distancing.
There's also likely to be further detail on when contact sport can return as part of the announcement.
The government will to announce the changes this evening.
Ian Brady owner of "Cats Hair Salon" in Dublin measures the distance between sinks in preparation for reopening, 11-06-2020. Image: Brian Lawless/PA Wire/PA ImagesDylan Bradshaw, from Dylan Bradshaw Hair Salon in Dublin said the new advice is very welcome.
“It is great news,” he said. “It has been a long time coming and I am just delighted now to get back, get a routine going, have the team back under one roof and start looking after our clients – who are our friends who have supported us over these months, days and years.”
On Newstalk Breakfast, he said he is "kind of fed up talking about it" after such a long time shut down.
"Most of us in the industry just want to get back to work and take care of our clients," he said.
He said all hairdressers will be appointment-only for the first number of weeks.
“You wouldn’t be able to get into a salon for love nor money even if they loosened up on the rules because there is a back-up,” he said.
“We are going to be one week short of four months closed so you can imagine the build-up.”
The Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan at a COVID-19 briefing, 11-06-2020. Image: Sam Boal/RollingNewsSpeaking last night, the Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said it is now up to Government to make a decision.
“We gave consideration to all of the remaining measures and whether they may belong in a set of recommendations we might make in respect of the next phase – i.e. Phase Three – or in respect of a Phase Four and we have set that out for Government to make decisions on,” he said.
“So, our role is to provide advice and we have given advice in relation to all of those matters which we think will bring clarity – but what has to happen is that Government has to accept that advice.”
He said personal behaviour will become ever-more important as restrictions are lifted.
“As we move through the easing of restrictions, we move away from a rule set around what is open and what is closed and more towards an emphasis on what is important in terms of your own individual behaviours,” he said.
“All of those behaviours will be really important for the population to maintain. Things will be different in the way in which we behave both as individuals and as communities and as a society overall.”
A mural on the side of a hair salon in Dublin, 11-06-2020. Image: Brian Lawless/PA Wire/PA ImagesHairdressers and barbers have been campaigning to bring forward the reopening date for weeks – with salons in many European countries open last month.
Cabinet is also expected to discuss restrictions on cinemas, theatres and larger social gatherings today.
An announcement is expected later this evening.
Four more coronavirus-related deaths were announced in Ireland last night alongside 16 new confirmed cases.
With reporting from Seán Defoe ...
