Ireland has virtually eliminated coronavirus from our streets according to one of Ireland's leading doctors.
Clinical Medical Officer Dr Colm Henry said community transmission has dropped massively but lifting restrictions too fast could reverse the progress.
Speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland, Dr Henry said: "We have seen this virus virtually eliminated from our streets.
"We must take great care as we ease these restrictions that we don't allow this virus back onto our streets.
"We don't see a return of widespread community transmission and our hospitals being overrun as a result."
Simon Harris echoed those thoughts last night saying he is "optimistic" that Ireland can speed up the coronavirus opening roadmap if we stay on the current path.
However, the Minister for Health has warned that case figures later this week will show how the first restrictions lift has worked.
Ireland entered phase one of the roadmap on May 18 and a jump in cases would be reflected by the end of the week.
Minister Harris told RTE's Prime Time: "Yes (phases could be sped up) is the short answer but it depends entirely on the public health advice.
"The signs are encouraging but not to take from the optimism, we've only gone through the first full week of the easing of phase one.
"We won't yet see until later this week the impact of that easing on our cases.
"I'm optimistic though, I think the people of this country have tried so hard and are getting it.
"What I don't want to do is try and look like we are going fast and have to turn back when we have a spike in our deaths or spike in our cases."
