Dr Tony Holohan has shared an encouraging summer update as he suggested more restrictions could be eased in the coming months.
Outdoor dining at pubs and restaurants is currently targeted for June 7, but no decisions on larger events and indoor dining have yet been made.
However the Chief Medical Officer said there were reasons to be hopeful as the pace of the vaccine rollout continues to accelerate.
And he hinted that further changes could be on the way later this summer, including decision on outdoor events and festivals.
On whether Electric Picnic could go ahead in September, Dr Holohan told Bryan Dobson on RTE Radio One: "We're getting ahead to be making an absolute prediction about that.
"But I'd like to think that if we found ourselves in a situation where we had really good progress with the vaccine, where we didn't run into any difficulties in relation to variants and so on, that some of the things that are not now possible, including outdoor events [like Electric Picnic], might be things we can think about."
And Dr Holohan also urged anyone who has been fully vaccinated to try and resume social contacts within the current guidelines.
He added: "I would really encourage people who have been vaccinated and got to the point of the benefits of that vaccine, where sufficient time has elapsed since that vaccine, to get out and about now. Meet up within the context of the guidance.
"People who have been vaccinated are in a situation now where they can meet up with other vaccinated people from two other households.
"And people who are vaccinated are able to meet up indoors without other restrictions being applied with unvaccinated people, as long as those people are in low-risk groups."
