The trajectory of Covid-19 in Ireland has gone downwards but the country still has some distance to go, the Taoiseach has said.
Micheál Martin said the Government intends to keep the pressure on so the country can reopen next month.
“Thankfully in Ireland the trajectory has gone downwards,” he told Sky News earlier today.
“We are at the highest level of restrictions at the moment, and the combination of the last number of weeks is resulting in a significant reduction in the number of cases.
“We still have some distance to go.
“We intend to keep the pressure on the virus so we can open up in December and into the months of January, February and March. Hopefully a vaccine will arrive towards the end of the year that will give people some hope.”
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said there were “clear signs” that Level 3 measures combined with the introduction of Level 5 restrictions were having an effect on the spread of Covid-19 and on the numbers of people who are being infected with the virus.
But he added it was “too early” to develop an exit strategy to come out of lockdown.
“What we’re going to do very carefully is evaluate that data in advance of the end point of Level 5 and form a view regarding what the appropriate exit strategy is,” he said.
“The Government set the target of the reproduction rate of the disease of well below 1. There are signs that we’re beginning to get to that point. But regarding how we’re going to exit from where we are at the moment at this point it’s a bit too early for me to answer that.”
Mr Donohoe added that he understood that businesses were looking for certainty about when they might be able to reopen but he said he also had to be clear that the Government’s current restrictions “absolutely stands”.
“If we do have the data and form the view in conjunction with Nphet (National Public Health Emergency Team) that the disease is moving to a stable and lower place of course the Government will do all it can to give businesses time to organise themselves and be ready for opening,” he said.
“But overall our message is that the decision that’s made in terms of Level 5, the breathe and duration of Level 5, is unchanged.”
Mr Donohoe made the comments as the Government unveiled details of a new support scheme to support businesses significantly affected by Covid restrictions.
Ministers @Paschald and @cathmartingreen today launched the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) to support businesses significantly impacted by Covid restrictions.
Read more: https://t.co/SiZlhXJMRb pic.twitter.com/tB8VAhtRIAAdvertisement— Department of Finance (@IRLDeptFinance) November 6, 2020
Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin said the scheme would deliver a much needed “financial lifeline” directly to businesses who have been badly affected or have been forced to close due to coronavirus restrictions.
“The tourism sector has been devastated by the impact of Covid-19 by the complete loss of overseas tourism, and the social nature of tourism and hospitality has meant the sector has faced even greater challenges as public health measures escalated,” she said.
Ms Martin added the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) scheme would give businesses affected by the restrictions some “much needed certainty” despite the pandemic related uncertainty looking set to continues for “some time to come”.
