One of the World Health Organisation's top doctors has suggested a localised opening of pubs could work for Ireland - if the right measures are in place.
Mayo man Mike Ryan, who is executive director of the WHO, said the Government have a very difficult decision to make today.
Mr Ryan suggested allowing parts of the country with very low incidence rates to open up more than Covid hit counties would be an idea - but it depends on many factors.
Speaking on RTE's Today with Sarah McInerney Mr Ryan said: "The Irish Government has a very difficult decision to make, it must be taken in context of the background epidemiology, Ireland has a very low incidence, it's worked very hard to get there and obviously Ireland will have to make a balanced decision.
"There are no correct answers.
"Certainly you can use a much more localised strategy by county by province, whatever it is.
"But you need very localised data and localised responses.
"There's a limit to how much you can localise measures and then it depends on how people move about."
He admitted pubs have sparked spikes elsewhere in the world but it is people's behaviour rather than the setting that causes such outbreaks.
Mr Ryan added: "I wouldn't say pubs are spreading Covid-19 it's the contacts not the specific environment.
"Certainly poorly ventilated crowded places where people may reduce their social distancing and let down their guard....Can you manage transmission in that environment.
"It has to be taken into account that only two in every 1,000 people tested are actually positive so Ireland is doing quite a bit of testing compared to the number of people who are positive."
