The Government is to consider a 5pm closing time for pubs and restaurants over the Christmas period.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan is understood to have made the recommendation to the Government in a letter to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly late on Thursday night.
Government will consider the earlier closing curfew which NPHET has been advised should come in from next Monday.
It’s also understood that the Government will consider reducing capacity at indoor and outdoor events.
Close contacts of a confirmed case who do not have a booster jab will also be advised to restrict their movements.
All measures are to be considered by the Government at a Cabinet meeting on Friday, it is expected.
Dr Tony Holohan expressed his “exceptional concern” over the threat of the Omicron variant.
Speaking to RTÉ on Thursday, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe admitted the Government will likely have to bring in more restrictions than what they had anticipated.
He said: “I think it is likely there will be some further changes as we approach the Christmas period.
“Again, I understand the anxiety and the difficulties that so many face at the moment.
"But our booster vaccination campaign is picking up speed by the hour, so we do have the measure of this pandemic, we’ll get to a better place in 2022 on it.
“But it may indeed be the case that we need to do more across Christmas than we anticipated.”
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