Level 5 restrictions could be in place until May with Ministers expecting almost no measures to ease next month.

The phased re-opening of schools is likely to be the only major easing of the current lockdown amid fears around the new COVID variants.

It's likely to start on March 1st with Leaving Cert students, along with junior and senior infants, but a final date hasn't been formally signed off.

Professor Anthony Staines, Professor of Public Health Systems at DCU joined Shane Beatty on Breakfast Briefing: