Government ministers have agreed to extend lockdown powers until November.
Most of the laws governing the stringent lockdown measures are due to lapse on June 9th.
These include powers to impose fines, police quarantines and enforce travel bans.
There was an expectation that they would be extended out for another three months, to September 9th, when it’s hoped the lockdowns will be well and truly finished with.
But the Government has gone further, and according to a Government spokesman, a “failsafe” date of November 9th has now been chosen and passed by the Cabinet.
The extension does not mean lockdowns will continue until that date, but it does give the Government the requisite powers to keep them going if they want - or to introduce regional or county lockdown extensions.
The new provisions will have to pass through the Oireachtas and be voted on in the Dáil and Seanad, which the Government spokesman said will happen “as soon as possible.”
The spokesman added: “It was very much that these were very much just to have in place as a failsafe, just as a precautionary measure…. because they were due to lapse on June 9th it was seen as prudent to have legislation in place.”
For the latest news and breaking news visit dublinlive.ie/news.
Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.
Follow us on Twitter @DublinLive - the official Dublin Live Twitter account - real news in real time.
We're also on Facebook/dublinlive - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the capital.
