A further 269 Covid-19 cases have been confirmed this evening.
Sadly one Covid related death has been reported.
The figures were confirmed by the National Public Health Emergency Team this evening.
It comes as Micheal Martin confirmed the return of hairdressers, High Street shops and more construction from next month.
The Taoiseach has given a massively upbeat assessment of where we are in the path out of lockdown, committing to get things reopened “as fast as possible” in May.
Mr Martin was speaking at the annual Fianna Fáil 1916 Easter Rising commemoration, conducted virtually this year.
He said: “The last year has been an incredibly tough one for Ireland and the world.
“A once-in-a-century pandemic has caused unprecedented harm. Getting Ireland through this pandemic is my absolute priority.
“There is no off-the-shelf handbook for dealing with such rapidly evolving and uniquely devastating virus. And there is no positive purpose served in looking for instant judgements everyday.
“When we are successfully through the pandemic, and we will be, we will have time to look back and evaluate. We will be able to look with a proper perspective at how Ireland and all countries have responded.
“However, for now there continues to be no time to waste. We must limit the impact of the virus and get our population vaccinated. Restrictions have been tough, but they are working.
“The commitment of the Irish people to respecting the restrictions has dramatically reduced the spread of a virus which is today dramatically more contagious than it was 12 months ago.”
