The 8pm closing time for Irish pubs could be a thing of the past in just a few weeks time.
Strict Covid-19 measures, including the closure of nightclubs and a curfew for hospitality venues, were introduced late last year amid fears about the spread of the Omicron variant.
On Sunday, the Tanaiste said he hoped that some restrictions might be lifted "soon".
Members of the National Public Health Emergency Team are expected to meet on Thursday to discuss the latest in the pandemic.
And speaking on Friday, the Taoiseach said that he "hopes" curbs on hospitality will be lifted at the start of February.
Mr Martin said: "To be straight with you, it is stabilising here, the progress is clear to be seen now, the hospital levels are certainly stabilising and how seriously ill people are is certainly down on previous waves.
"I am(feeling optimistic).
"Hospitalisations are stable, Omicron has not penetrated ICU to the degree that people feared, quite a lot of the ICU numbers are still Delta patients.
"Cases are coming down, albeit from a very high level, but they are coming down."
The Tanaiste meanwhile, said he did not expect all restrictions to end overnight at the end of the month.
"I think it will be phased. I don't anticipate that we'll just remove all restrictions at the end of January or the start of February. I think it will be a phased process over the next couple of months," Mr Varadkar told RTE radio.
