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The cabinet has agreed that Britain’s travel restrictions to Ireland will remain in effect until December 31.
Initially, the ban was imposed for 48 hours to guard against the emergence of a more contagious form of coronavirus in south-east England.
The ban was supposed to expire at midnight tonight, but it has now been extended.
More than 40 other countries have imposed similar travel bans on Britain.
Two consular planes are scheduled to bring Irish residents, stranded in Britain, home tonight.
Seats are also being made available to Ireland-bound passengers transiting through UK airports and who have no other way to complete their destination.
Arrangements are being made to provide exceptional access to ferry services to Irish residents who find themselves stranded in Britain after taking short trips in their vehicles.
In Northern Ireland, the Stormont Executive has advised against non-essential travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and between Northern Ireland and the Republic.
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Stormont Assembly health committee chairman Colm Gildernew said anti-pandemic measures at Northern Ireland airports need to be strengthened to ensure passengers complete location forms and self-isolate.
The Sinn Féin MLA for Fermanagh and Tyrone told Morning Ireland that guidance has been issued warning against non-essential travel from the North to Britain or the Republic.
Last night, a proposal for an immediate travel ban from Great Britain was rejected in a vote in the Stormont Executive.
Gildernew said that given the serious evidence that the new strain of the virus is more transmissible and the pressure on hospital services, concrete proposals need to be put in place to address the spread across the islands.
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