Galway Bay fm newsroom - The Taoiseach says he's "optimistic" the coronavirus restrictions can start to be eased in May.
Leo Varadkar's told the Sunday Independent that health officials are drawing up plans to relax them in stages.
But he says there is a risk they could have to be re-introduced if the virus starts spreading again.
However, a number of experts say relaxing the restrictions too soon would be a mistake.
Galway now has 169 confirmed cases of Covid-19 - that's an increase of 9 new cases according to the latest figures.
The death toll in the Republic now stands at 320 and there are almost 9 thousand confirmed cases nationwide.
8,928 people have been infected since the pandemic reached Ireland, which includes an extra 286 cases reported by a lab in Germany.
Health Minister Simon Harris says after the German lab has cleared a backlog of up to 15-thousand tests, the next step will be to extend the testing criteria.
British Army asked to help deal with response in North
Sinn Féin says it's too soon to call in the British Army to help deal with the pandemic response in Northern Ireland.
The Northern Health Secretary, Robin Swann of the DUP, confirmed that he's asked for logistical support to set up a temporary hospital.
The number of deaths in Northern Ireland rose to 107 yesterday after 15 more patients died from Covid-19.
Sinn Féin MLA, John O'Dowd, says the the Executive should have been consulted about the move.
US now has highest death toll in the world
The US has overtaken Italy with the highest death toll from Covid 19 in the world.
More than 20 thousand people have now died after contracting the virus.
New York accounts for over a third of confirmed cases.
New York State's slowly flattening the curve, but Governor Andrew Cuomo says it's stabilising at a 'horrific rate'.
