Welcome to our Ireland news live blog, which will keep you updated on all the very latest stories from 6am to midnight each and every week day in 2021.
The journalists here at Irishmirror.ie will be letting you know about all the latest happenings from Cork to Donegal and everywhere in between.
If you want to get in touch or have a story, it's easy to contact us by email at news@irishmirror.ie or simply message us on one of our many social media pages.
Here's all you need to know about today:
What's happening in Ireland today?
- Dr Tony Holohan said: "We must cut our social contacts in order to break the chains of transmission and protect those who are most vulnerable to this disease. Stay at home and save lives.”
- Covid-19 cases are set to surge again today after a further 3,955 new infections were reported last night.
- We are expecting more updates from Dr Tony Holohan and leading Government figures on our current lockdown situation.
- The Tanaiste has said that he expects the country to reopen in a "very gradual" and slow manner.
- Belmullet in Mayo continues to have the highest rate of Covid-19 in Ireland, more than three times the national average. The incidence rate in Belmullet has more than tripled in the last week, up from 2,111 per 100,000 last Thursday.
January 15 fact of the day
Wikipedia, the free Internet-based encyclopaedia that operates under an open-source management style, was launched on this day on 2001. The website was founded by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger.
Follow all the updates below throughout the day.
