NPHET has made the recommendation.

The government will consider moving to Level 5 restrictions before the New Year, Stephen Donnelly has said. The Minister for Health confirmed today that the Cabinet will consider closing all restaurants, pubs, and non-essential retail before the New Year in line with current recommendations from the National Pubic Health Emergency Team. NPHET has urged the government to move to Level 5 after Christmas. The team has also expressed concern over the rising number of Covid cases in the republic, as well as the new strain of the virus present in the UK.  RTÉ News reports that Donnelly said his "job right now" is to "keep people alive, keep people safe" over Christmas. "On Christmas Day an awful lot of people in every county in this country are going to be sitting down with their families and having a Christmas Day who otherwise wouldn't have been if this virus had been let out of control," he said. He added that Ireland will begin vaccinating against Covid-19 "this side of the New Year." This comes as Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan urges the government to move to increased restrictions on Christmas Eve. NPHET has recommended all restaurants, pubs, and non-essential retail close at mid-afternoon on Christmas Eve. The current ban on travel to Ireland from the UK expires at midnight tonight, but is likely to be extended until the end of the year. The ban was imposed following the new strain of Covid in the UK, which is "out of control." The government has organised at least two consular flights to bring home Irish residents who were visiting the UK for a short period of time, or those who were transiting through British airports on their way home. New restrictions for the festive season are expected to be announced later today.