The Cabinet may announce the ban on household visits from midnight tonight.
The Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) have formally requested that the Irish government consider delaying the return to school date to at least Monday, January 11.
This is in light of the drastic increase in positive Covid cases in the country, reaching over 1,500 yesterday (Tuesday, December 29).
In a letter of request sent to Minister for Education Norma Foley, INTO General Secretary John Boyle wrote the following:
"The INTO remains strongly committed to supporting our 42,000 members in safe workplaces, as they endeavour to teach and support the wellbeing of their pupils at school where children undoubtedly benefit greatly.
"However, it is now becoming very clear that the ability of schools to operate normally is likely to be seriously impaired due to the higher numbers of staff and students who will need to self-isolate and/or restrict movement in the weeks following Christmas."
The Cabinet will discuss this and many other topics during their unscheduled meeting today, which has been organised to stop the spread of the third wave.
Government may announce a ban on household visits from midnight tonight in an effort to reduce household interactions on New Year's Eve.
Additional restrictions that could be implemented over the next few days include a reduction of travel from your home to no more than 5km, the closing of all non-essential retail, and the closing of gyms.
Expect a full government announcement on increased restrictions by this afternoon.
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