Stephen Donnelly has warned we could see up to 1,760 deaths from the Delta wave of Covid.
The Minister for Health was speaking before Senators in Leinster House as legislation to allow for the reopening of pubs and restaurants indoors passed through the Oireachtas.
It now goes to President Michael D Higgins for his formal signature to make it law.
But in his speech to the Seanad, Mr Donnelly sounded a grim warning.
He said that the latest modelling from NPHET presented to him revealed a shocking prospect of between 335 and 1,760 deaths from Covid here over the next three months.
Mr Donnelly referenced the War of Independence of 100 years ago for comparison, saying: “In the War of Independence about 2,300 people, died to put it in context.”
The numbers are spiralling in recent days, rising steeply from just under 800 on Wednesday evening to nearly 1,200 in Friday’s figures.
Mr Donnelly said that calls for full reopening of indoor hospitality should now be dropped when the rapidly rising numbers of Delta Covid are considered.
He said: “Given the rapidly increasing prevalence of the disease, particularly among those not yet fully vaccinated, I hope these calls will be dropped and that the proposed approach will be supported.”
Mr Donnelly added: “Some advocate moving faster, opening fully or opening with testing. “But that wouldn’t be safe right now.
“Others advocate keeping the sector closed.
“But how would that be fair to the women and men all over Ireland who have suffered for so long and who want to get back to work.
“Nothing about this pandemic is easy.
“Not about it is fair.
“What we’ve got to do each time is find a way forward that works. And that is what this Bill seeks to do.”
