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Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that the Level 5 restrictions will last the scheduled six-week period despite a substantial drop in the number of cases over the past week.
Mr. Martin told the weekly meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on Wednesday night that the full term was needed to reduce the numbers enough for the Christmas period and beyond.
He said the government was working on compiling specific data sets on Covid levels in key sectors of the economy. This would help inform the State’s exit strategy from the severe restrictions currently in place.
Earlier, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told his party members that Level 5 restrictions would not be reviewed until at least four out of six weeks had passed.
He said he had discussed the issue in a meeting with Martin and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan on Monday night and they agreed that any relaxation of individual restrictions, such as clothing stores or gyms, would dilute the public message.
Mr Varadkar said that Covid indicators were heading in the right direction and the prevalence of the disease was declining much faster than the government had expected.
According to sources, Varadkar told the parliamentary party meeting that four of the six weeks of restrictions would be needed before any easing is considered.
Varadkar also spoke about the possibility of Joe Biden becoming president of the United States, saying that it could help Ireland in the Brexit talks and could improve the global response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
One viewer said that Varadkar, speaking at a private gathering of members of the Fine Gael party, described Biden as a “genuine friend of Ireland” who has a greater interest in the country beyond “just a golf resort”, referring to Donald Trump Golf Course and hotel in Doonbeg.
He said it seemed increasingly likely that Biden would be president under current projects.
Varadkar is understood to have said that the potential election of Biden would be “positive news” for Ireland in other respects as well, as he has a “genuine personal attachment” and could indeed help with the Brexit talks that seem to be on again. stagnant. .
It is also understood that Mr. Varadkar said that the “Democrats watched our backs on Brexit” and said that if Mr. Biden is elected he could change the dynamics of the current Brexit talks.
The Fine Gael leader also speculated that this could also result in the United States “taking the pandemic more seriously” and returning to provide global leadership.
A source said he also warned that “Trump’s policy has not gone away” as opinion polls are again questioned.
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