Parents should be “absolutely assured’ that schools will reopen after Christmas, the Justice Minister has told Newstalk Breakfast.

Last night, the Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan warned that Ireland’s COVID-19 situation appeared to be stabilising – but figures remain at “too high a level”.

A further 4,163 COVID cases were announced last night; however, the number of patients in hospital was down 9% on last week.

Meanwhile, the number of patients in ICU was down 7% on last week.

On Newstalk Breakfast, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said schools will definitely reopen after the Christmas break.

“I want to absolutely assure people that our schools will open,” she said.

“First and foremost, this is about our children and making sure they continue to get their education but this is also about the mental health of our families.

“I think the impact this has on everybody in the family when children are not in school is huge, so it is absolutely a priority to make sure our children are back in school come January.”

This morning, it has emerged that NPHET is recommending a series of new restrictions on hospitality as well as a limit on Christmas gatherings in the home.

This year, an initial delay to the reopening of schools saw them closed until March.

The phased reopening began with Leaving Cert students and young primary school students – with some classes not returning until mid-April.