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15th Apr 2021

Ireland “on track” to ease restrictions next month, says Varadkar

Sarah McKenna Barry

The Tánaiste offered some reassurance in a video on Twitter last night.

The country could be easing a number of Covid-19 restrictions next month, according to Tánaiste Leo Varadkar. 

The government also reassured the public with an estimate that four out of five people will receive their first dose of the vaccine by June.

This promise came amid news that 550,000 extra doses of the Pfizer vaccine would be delivered in the coming months.

Speaking on these updates in a video on social media, Varadkar told his followers that the country is on track to ease restrictions next month in spite of the “twists and turns” we’ve seen recently.

“We’re on track as well to ease restrictions on the 4th of May so lots of things to be positive about,” he said.

He continued: “Of course there’s going to be twists and turns. That was always going to be the case but just wanted to reassure you about those things”

Varadkar also addressed the vaccine rollout:

“In relation to the vaccine programme, we will receive and administer between 3.5 million and 4.5 million vaccines in Quarter Two this year. That’s April, May and June. And for that reason, the vaccine programme is on track.

“We’ll have to make some amendments, we’ll have to make some changes. We’ve had to do that 25 times since the programme began, but we’re still very much on track to meet our targets.”

This optimistic update from the Tánaiste comes just days after a number of restrictions were eased.

On Monday, all in-school teaching returned and residential construction resumed. Additionally, the 5km travel limit was relaxed to travel within one’s county, or within 20km of your home if crossing county boundaries.

Additionally, we can now meet members of one other household outside, but not in private gardens or homes.