The National Public Health Emergency Team has recommended the closure of non-essential retail from St Stephen's Day.
Health officials have warned the spread of COVID-19 is out of control, with the number of new cases doubling in less than a week.
A further 938 new cases were confirmed last night with 13 additional deaths, while the reproductive number has risen to between 1.5 and 1.8 - the highest since March.
Restaurants and pubs serving food will close at 3pm this afternoon as part of new restrictions, along with the likes of hairdressers, barbers, galleries, cinemas and libraries.
Non-essential retail will remain open, but are being asked to defer their January sales events.
Gyms and swimming pools will also remain open for individual training only.
Professor Philip Nolan, chair of NPHET's modelling advisory group, doesn't think the measures will bring the virus back under control.
He said: "Given the nature of the measures and our experience to date... I'm not confident they alone are sufficient, particularly given where we're starting from.
"It's hard to see how that array of measures would bring the reproduction number down below one."
Health officials yesterday said a variant strain of the virus - first reported in the UK - is present in Ireland.
However, Dr Cillian De Gascun said it doesn't appear it's solely responsible for the recent increase in case numbers here.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan, meanwhile, said a recent "significant amount of social engagement" can explain the recent worrying numbers.
