A ROADMAP to open Ireland up from the Covid-19 lockdown will begin from May 18 with five stages, at three-week intervals, set out to unlock the restrictions.
From then, open air workers – those such as gardeners and builders, for example – will be back to work in two weeks’ time, on May 18. Construction sites, hardware stores and garden centres will also reopen on May 18, provided that physical distancing is practiced.
An Toiseach Leo Varadkar – in a televised address this evening – outlined a five-phase plan as the government aims to ‘open the country in a slow, staged way.’
However, he warned that moving from phase to phase – the fifth of which is listed for August 10 – was dependent on the spread of the virus.
Schools – which have been closed since March 12 – will not re-open until September, the Taoiseach confirmed. The only students who may return to a classroom setting will be those sitting the Leaving Certificate, with clarity to be sought on that.
“Planning for the Leaving Cert is still being discussed, including the Advisory Group set up by the Department involving education stakeholders,” a spokesperson for the Department of Education said. “It is still hoped to bring just Leaving Cert students back in July, subject to adequate planning and public health advice.”
New phases could be introduced every three weeks – but this is entirely dependent on the rate of new Covid-19 infections.
The second phase of easing restrictions will take place from June 8 with retail outlets, libraries and marts due to open.
The full roadmap can be downloaded here: https://t.co/UBX2c5i74V?amp=1