Taoiseach on summer travel
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has raised the possibility of indoor pints in Ireland and holiday travel within Europe later in the summer if the risks associated with Covid-19 are low enough.
Travel within Europe might be possible later in the summer, but that would depend on infection levels. Ireland could not stay disconnected forever, he said.
Easing of restrictions
A significant number of restrictions will ease on May 10th, when intercounty travel is permitted to resume.
Restrictions on gatherings will be loosened, as three households or six people will be able to meet outdoors, including in private gardens. Organised outdoor gatherings can also take place with a maximum of 15 people.
Non-essential retail will reopen on a phased basis in May, with the return of click-and-collect services on May 10th and the reopening of the remainder of the sector on May 17th. Personal services such as hairdressers will also reopen from May 10th, and in-person religious services can also resume.
The Government will proceed with a further reopening in June, subject to the situation remaining "stable" after May, the Taoiseach said.
June is earmarked to see the return of domestic tourism, with hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses and self-catering accommodation to reopen from June 2nd. Their leisure facilities, indoor restaurant and bar services will be restricted to overnight guests and residents only.
Bars and restaurants can reopen to outdoor patrons from June 7th, while indoor visits to private homes from one other household can begin again on the same date.
Covid patients in hospital
The number of Covid-19 patients in public hospitals has fallen by 21 per cent in the past week.
The figure fell significantly last night to 136 — the lowest in more than 200 days.
The five-day average of cases is now 426.
Tinder rapist jailed
A man who attacked and raped a woman he met on the dating app Tinder has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.
During the attack in the woman's home, Peter Loughran (36) banged the woman's head off of the floor and slapped her in the face when she started praying out loud. At one point he began filming her with his phone and slapped her in the face when she tried to cover her face with her hair.
