The restrictions are likely to stay in place until February.

The 8pm closing time for pubs and restaurants will remain in place until the end of next week, and likely until next month, Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan has said. It comes as Cabinet will meet today to sign off on changes to the rules regarding close contacts. Under the proposed plans being discussed, close contacts of a confirmed Covid-19 case who have both gotten a booster vaccine and are not showing symptoms of the virus will no longer have to restrict their movements for five days. Speaking on Newstalk, Mr. Ryan said that no other restrictions would be eased today. "The numbers are still very high so we have to be careful," he said. "And we still have to keep a very close eye on the ICU numbers and the level of health outcome is. "If that in any way turns... you might see an older cohort for whatever reason start to come in. So we will hold steady for the next week for sure." He said hospitality restrictions and curfews won't be discussed until later this month but that the Government remains confident they will be eased. "We are not due to look at those restrictions until later in January - that gives us plenty of time. I think we are all agreed, we get to the end of this month. "These measures will help us keep the country going in a functioning manner. But we will wait until the end of January and then it is in February - touch wood please God all going well - where we can start easing those restrictions. And I am confident we will be able to. "All the analysis is that this will be a short wave but we will have to wait and see." Main Image Credit: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie