Schools will now remain closed until Monday, January 11 in a bid to halt the growing spread of COVID.
Children at both primary and secondary schools were due to open back to class next Wednesday, January 6.
However, that will now not happen due to the alarming spike in numbers - with Cabinet understood to have today agreed the move to push reopening back by a further five days at least.
The executive is currently meeting to pour over more lockdown restrictions in the battle against the killer virus.
They will likely include a 5km travel limit, a ban on all household visits and a shutdown of all of non-essential retail. However, childcare facilities and creches will remain open.
The news comes as NPHET revealed a further 1,718 new cases today - the most Ireland has seen in a single day since the pandemic began - along with a further 13 deaths.
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