Government ministers are set to agree a move to Level Four of the alert system for Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan.
The Cabinet is holding an emergency meeting this evening where the proposal has been brought by the Cabinet Covid subcommittee.
Senior Government sources say that it is "a done deal" that the entire Cabinet will agree to the proposal after senior ministers came up with it.
These include the three leaders of Government, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Green leader, Eamon Ryan.
This has been the way the process has worked since the new coalition came to power in June.
It is understood that the border county of Louth was considered, and will be discussed at the ongoing Cabinet meeting, but that it will remain at Level Three for now.
It is not yet known when the restrictions will come into force, or how long they will last.
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