Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has indicated that government is considering plans regarding household visits - plans that would allow for up to three separate households to come together over Christmas time.
With level 5 due to end early next week, government is currently working on plans that would hopefully allow for the easing of restrictions somewhat during the festive period. Not due to announce an official decision on the matter until later in the week, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said that more stringent measures would only be brought in should there be an increase in the number of cases.
Putting a plan together that would allow the country to exit level 5 restrictions, it's believed that government is considering relaxing limitations on household visitations for a two week period in the run-up to December 25th with Varadkar commenting that: "it is the government’s objective to have family dinner, Christmas day, as normal as possible."
Also hinting that limits on household visits would most likely be reintroduced come the new year, Varadkar yesterday said that he could not rule out a "short
third period of enhanced restrictions" in January or February.
"We know people are going to do it anyway so it’s better that we provide for it in a safe way... We hope to be able to do it for closer to two weeks and the idea then that a date would kick in in January where restrictions would be tightened again but that will depend on the numbers.
"If we’re able to keep the numbers low, we won’t reimpose restrictions just for the sake of it. We’ll only reimpose restrictions if we think the virus is taking off again and we need to act to keep it under control."
