Since the Christmas lockdown was implemented after the HSE saw a spike in Covid-19 cases, the country has been operating on level 5 restrictions with gradual easing beginning from early April.
On April 12, the 5km travel restrictions were extended to 20km, along with some construction workers returning work.
Since then, all classes of primary and secondary schools have returned to in-person learning, with special accommodations made for Leaving Certificate students around this year's exams, allowing students to opt for predicted grades over or as well as sitting their exams.
In sport, the GAA was the first to return with inter-county training resuming from April 19. Tomorrow will see more non-contact sports such as golf returning with an increase on outdoor underage non-contact training for pods of up to 15 people.
Slowly but surely, Ireland is re-opening different sectors in line with meeting the milestones of the vaccination rollout programme, starting with outdoor gatherings and working towards the phased reopening of non-essential retailers, cultural venues and permitting nursing home visits where residents are fully vaccinated.
Vaccine Rollout
Ahead of the Taoiseach's address next week, Mr Martin spoke to Newstalk and RTE about the government's plan.
Speaking on Newstalk on Friday, the Taoiseach stated that the vaccine roll-out was protecting the most vulnerable and, as such, the government is confident in easing further restrictions.
“The vaccination programme is working and it’s working very effectively at reducing severe illness, death and transmission," he said.
“So that old equation we have to get to so much vaccination and not be able to open certain sectors doesn’t necessarily apply because of the fact we have reduced severe illness and hospitalisation, particularly among the most vulnerable in society.
"When I spoke at the end of March I said issues like the hairdressers, the barbers we would look at that next week.
"Non-essential retail, we’ll look at that next week and non-contact sport for over-18s, religious services, and so on.
“We said we would examine all that and we are going to. We’ll make a decision next week and make a comprehensive statement in relation to that.”
He added that the easing of measures to bring people back together outdoors was "critical" as it is "less harmful," but said the Government understands "the danger of indoors", when speaking on RTE earlier today.
"We're going to continue to follow the science and of course outdoor is the theme for the summer.
"Government is committed to that - that is the Government's position as well.
"As I've said, what we said we'd do last month, for April, we did and we can see the latest instalment of that on Monday with underage sport coming back in terms of non-contact training for under 18s.
"We'll be examining that from May, for example, because I'm very concerned about mental wellbeing and the importance of getting out there, getting into training, getting into sport for over 18s just as well as for under 18s.
"We want to end (these) start-stop (closures). Many people in different sectors have said that to us. I think we've got to do this in a proper way," he told The Week In Politics.
End of restrictions
With further restrictions earmarked from the beginning of May, such as the staggered and phased return of non-essential retailers and the potential reopening of cultural venues and places of worship, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
However, with each restriction that is lifted the government has reaffirmed the need for people to maintain best social distancing practices and regular hygiene maintenance as the numbers of Covid-19 cases have a large sway on the decision to reopen sectors.
So while we may see more freedoms in the coming months, they will be on the basis that mask-wearing is consistent in shops and on public transport, physical contact is kept to a minimum only when necessary and people work from home where possible.
