The Chief Medical Officer has said there are too many COVID-19 patients in intensive care to relax restrictions next week.
The National Public Health Emergency Team will advise the Government on the next stages of the lockdown after it meets this morning.
The team is expected to call for the current guidelines to be extended with little or no relaxation of the restrictions in place.
Speaking last night, Dr Tony Holohan said the data on disease offers no reason to believe now is the time to lift restrictions.
***
The government will this evening publish a roadmap for the gradual phasing out of coronavirus restriction over the coming months.
The Taoiseach will make an announcement after Cabinet debate the latest advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team.
Speaking in the Dáil yesterday, Leo Varadkar said the easing of the restrictions “will be slow and gradual and will be done in a stepwise, tiered manner.”
HE warned that they would have to be re-introduced if “it looks like the virus is going to surge back” after the are eased.
***
The Garda Ombudsman has received more than 70 complaints about the enforcement of Covid-19 restrictions.
About a third of them allege gardai weren't observing social-distancing rules, or weren't wearing gloves or masks.
Some people complained officers were rude or abrupt at a checkpoint.
There were also complaints about people being told to go home for going beyond the 2km limit to go to the shop.
***
The Justice Minister has said efforts will be made to make sure people don't cross the border over the long weekend.
Minister Charlie Flanagan last night spoke to the North's Justice Minister Naomi Long on on the need for co-operation between the Gardaí and the PSNI.
He said they both recognised the compliance of regulations on either side of the border - but said measures need to be reinforced over the two May Bank Holiday weekends, as the UK's long weekend is next week.
Minister Flanagan said border crossings will be blosely monitored.
***
The Tánaiste has insisted plans for a 7% annual reduction in greenhouse gases will not be allowed to “decimate” farming and rural Ireland.
The Government signed up to the target under the Paris Agreement and the Green Party has made meeting the obligation one if its red lines for joining a coalition with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
In an interview with the Irish Examiner this morning, Simon Coveney said his party would not work towards the target if it unfairly hurts farmers and rural towns.
He said he wanted to hold talks on how the 7% could be could be achieved “across many sectors.