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Additional reporting by Aoife Moore, Paul Hosford and Liz Dunphy
A 100-day journey back to normality for the country has been outlined by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar who said the lockdown is to be lifted in five three-week phases from May 18.
From Tuesday, Ireland will begin to cautiously re-emerge from total lockdown but after two further weeks of “tight restrictions”, the five-phase lifting of restrictions will commence.
Mr Varadkar made the announcement on Friday night after a two-hour cabinet meeting which was said to be “not contentious but robust”.
The Taoiseach was speaking as it was confirmed the Covid-19 outbreak which has claimed a further 34 lives, a total of 1,265 deaths in Ireland. The total number of cases now stands at 20,833.
From Tuesday, people will be permitted to travel up to 5km from home for exercise. People over 70, who have been cocooning will also be allowed to leave their home for exercise, however they are still discouraged from shopping.
The first phase will begin on Monday, May 18 and end in August, when pubs and restaurants will open on August 10.
The first phase will see the return of outdoor workers, with DIY stores, garden centers and repair shops opening as well as the return to some limited sports and exercise activities.
It will also be possible to meet small groups of friends and family outdoors.
“Now is the time to finish what we started”, the Taoiseach added, saying the seven weeks of restrictions had “saved thousands of lives”.
“Tonight there is hope,” he said. “In the weeks ahead, that hope will drive us forward.”
“Our plan is to reopen the country, in a slow, staged, phased way, five stages, three weeks apart, starting on May 18.
“For people who are cocooning, the public health advice is to continue to do so,” Mr Varadkar said.
“However, from Tuesday, it will be possible to go for a walk or a drive within five kilometers of your home, if you avoid all contact with other people.”
Phase two will begin on June 8 in which visits to households will be allowed, phase 3 will allow small social gatherings on June 29, phase 4 on July 20 will see churches and hairdressers reopen, and the final phase on August 10 will allow for a return to work for all sectors.
In later phases, other workplaces and businesses like childcare, preschools restaurants, cafes, bars cinemas and gyms will reopen.
Schools and colleges will reopen in September and October, at the start of the new academic year.
“With all things going to plan, the fifth phase will commence on August 10,” Mr Varadkar added.
Leaving Cert students are still due to sit State exams from July 29, with classes expected to start before that, Mr Varadkar said on the Late Late Show.
“It is still hoped to bring just Leaving Certificate students back in July, subject to adequate planning and public health advice,” a Department of Education spokesperson said.
It is also “possible” that different counties could simultaneously be in different phases of lockdown as long as there was no risk of a “pull factor” drawing people who could “re-seed” a county, Mr Varadkar said on the Late Late Show .
Sources said the Cabinet meeting was “heavy on detail” largely because of ministers seeking clarification on exactly what the road map to easing restrictions would entail.
The meeting did not see a repeat of a disagreement at the cabinet table earlier this week, when the “civil liberty wing” of the government argued for an easing of restrictions on movements.
It is understood that while a slight majority of the cabinet was in favor of easing the restrictions before Friday, the National Public Health Emergency Team -NPHET- advice has been followed “nearly to the letter”.
That “civil liberty wing” had made representations particularly on the impact the lockdown was having on older people and businesses like outdoor construction, where physical distancing is possible. Both of those groups were given some easing of restrictions in the road map. However, it is understood that these measures were broadly accepted as they had been approved by NPHET.
“All ministers contributed, but it was a very productive meeting,” a source said.
“It was focused on detail, but it wasn’t that people were looking to pick holes in the document, they just wanted to understand it a bit more clearly and contribute ideas where they felt they could.”
The Cabinet will meet this morning to agree further actions to help businesses to restart, with a national protocol being developed by government, employers and trade unions with the assistance of the Health and Safety Authority and the HSE, “to enable a gradual restart to economic activity “.
However, the plan was branded as “truly horrendous” by the bodies which represent the country’s pubs.
They said keeping pubs closed, while restaurants and cafes can reopen, represents a ‘Mayday’ moment for pubs across Ireland, and said the Government measures are treating them as “second class citizens”.
The two representative bodies for pubs in Ireland, the Vintners ’Federation of Ireland (VFI) and the Licensed Vintners’ Association (LVA) asked the Government to clearly explain why they chose to discriminate against pubs in the announcement.
Phases
Phase 1 (May 18)
- Allow outdoor meetings between people from different households
- Open up childcare for healthcare workers
- Phased return of outdoor workers
- Open retailers which are primarily outdoor or those which were open during first level of restriction (e.g. opticians)
- Opening of certain outdoor public amenities
Phase 2 (June 8)
- Allow visits to households
- Develop plans and supports to open up business with consideration for safety of staff and customers
- Open small retail outlets and marts where social distancing can be observed
- Open public libraries
Phase 3 (June 29)
- Allow small social gatherings
- Opening of crèches, childminders and pre-schools for children of essential workers in phased manner
- Return to work for those with low levels of interaction
- Open non-essential retail outlets with street level entrance and exit
- Open playgrounds
Phase 4 (July 20)
- Opening of crèches, childminders and pre-schools for children of all other workers on a gradually increasing basis
- Return to work for those who cannot work from home
- Gradual easing of restrictions for higher risk services (e.g. Hairdressers)
- Opening of museums, galleries, places of worship
Phase 5 (August 10)
- Allow larger social gatherings
- Return to work across all sectors
- On a phased basis, commencing at the beginning of the academic year 2020/2021, opening of primary and secondary schools and 3rd level institutions
- Further easing of restrictions on high risk retail services
- Useful information
- The HSE have developed an information pack on how to protect yourself and others from coronavirus. Read it here
- Anyone with symptoms of coronavirus who has been in close contact with a confirmed case in the last 14 days should isolate themselves from other people – this means going into a different, well-ventilated room alone, with a phone; phone their GP, or emergency department;
- GPs Out of Hours services are not in a position to order testing for patients with normal cold and flu-like symptoms. HSELive is an information line and similarly not in a position to order testing for members of the public. The public is asked to reserve 112/999 for medical emergencies at all times.
- ALONE has launched a national support line and additional supports for older people who have concerns or are facing difficulties relating to the outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in Ireland. The support line will be open seven days a week, 8 am-8pm, by calling 0818 222 024
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