Minister for Health Simon Harris has responded to calls for stricter social distancing after crowds of people flocked to sunny spots over the weekend.
He spoke out after hundreds risked lives by filling parks and beaches despite pleas to stay at home to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Gardai warned people away from beauty spots such as Dublin’s Dollymount and Howth, Lahinch in Co Clare and Bettystown, Co Meath, telling them: “This is not a holiday.”
It came as 40,000 people wait for Covid-19 tests in Ireland, where a fourth person was yesterday revealed to have died from the disease with confirmed cases now standing at 906.
Speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland this morning, Minister Harris revealed there may be a further crackdown as people continue to ignore the guidelines.
The National Public Health Emergency Team will meet this week to consider if further restrictions are needed.
The World Health Organisation has since recommended that the phrase "physical distancing" should be used instead of "social distancing".
Minister Harris said: "It's very challenging, it's awkward and it can be difficult for families and people who maybe have kids at home, no schools, no sports, people are finding this very very challenging.
"The good news is the Chief Medical Officer is now telling me that when we confirmed cases of COVID-19 now, we're now seeing them with fewer and fewer close contacts.
"In other words, people are making a real conscious effort to social distance and that's really good and that's how we're going to beat this virus, it's how we're going to slow down the transmission.
"On the flip side, we did see over the course of this weekend, large gatherings, the one in Glendalough might have been the one most people were talking about.
"I'm very pleased that the council stepped in there and said 'Look, we can't properly social distance here, we're shutting down the cark park, we're shutting down the food premises, that's the sort of the decisive action that needs to be taken."
He reiterated: "You need to abide to the social distancing. That means there should be two metres between you and other people. If you can't do that, you shouldn't be operating.
"Tomorrow, the National Public Health Emergency Team will meet and we've been very clear, myself and the Taoiseach, we won't be making decisions on Twitter trends or political populism"
Minister Harris added that following tomorrow's meeting, he expects there will be further restrictions announced.
"I quite frankly expect that slightly, we're going to be receiving further recommendations from them.
"Every time, we've received recommendations from them, we've implemented them in full and we've published them in full."
"I don't want to overly speculate but we know that the two metres needs to be abided by and perhaps greater guidance in relation to playgrounds and public spaces could be useful and perhaps greater guidance and supports for businesses too."
He added: "We need to get this right. Social distancing is not just something that's nice to do. It's actually the difference between saving lives and not."
"What we're trying to do here is look after the wellbeing of all our people, their mental health, their ability to get out and have a walk but that's very different to going to a crowded park, that's just not on."
