Covid Ireland restrictions: Everything NPHET has advised the Government as Taoiseach set to address the nation

The Government is facing another huge decision on Friday after advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) on Thursday evening.

The group, led by Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan, sent a letter to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly late last night with the latest rules and restriction they would like to see introduced.

It comes as a result of the Omicron variant spreading, now making up 27% of new daily cases, where last week it was as low as 1%.

Here's a roundup of the advice given:

Shut the pubs at 5pm

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan is understood to have made the recommendation to the Government in a letter to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly late on Thursday night.

Government will consider the earlier closing curfew which NPHET has been advised should come in from next Monday.

All measures are to be considered by the Government at a Cabinet meeting on Friday, it is expected.

Cap on crowds at sporting events and other cultural gatherings

Reports are that NPHET see every large gathering from here on in as a "super spreader", meaning that the already strict rules on gatherings at sporting events and other indoor entertainment could be tightened even more.

As such, there will be a 50% capacity for indoor events that would need to be held before 5pm, while the Punchestown racing festival, for example, would also be capped at 50%.

A general view of the Aviva Stadium prior to the European Rugby Champions Cup match between Leinster and Bath at Aviva Stadium (Oisin Keniry/Getty Images)

Close contacts of a Covid case who haven't got a booster will be told to restrict their movements

Christmas dinner plans may be up in the air as all close contacts of confirmed Covid-19 cases could be told they have to restrict their movements.

Currently, this is not the case, but as the Omicron variant surges in Ireland, a tightening of the rule will be brought in if the Government go with NPHET's advice.

Schools will stay open

Despite 20,000 new cases in Irish children last week, the schools will stay open until December 22 and there are "no current plans" for them to be delayed in reopening after Christmas.

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