Coronavirus: Ireland and Northern Ireland ease Covid-19 lockdown restrictions

The first part of Ireland's five-phase plan for exiting its coronavirus lockdown has come into effect with the lifting of some restrictions.

Heath Minister Simon Harris said he was pleased that Ireland was taking its first steps out of the lockdown as of Monday, but admitted he was also "nervous" about the move "because the virus has not gone away".

As of this week, some retail outlets are reopening, outdoor work is resuming and sports like golf and tennis can be played again.

Those able return to work on Monday include construction workers, gardeners and people tending to allotments, with garden centres, hardware stores, farmers’ markets, opticians and mechanics all permitted to reopen.

[rekietabeatslc]

Garden centres open in all of Ireland actually, not just the north. Down here phone stores, hardware, bicycle, & mechanics opened up now too. Home stores still closed.

[PanglossDr]

Ireland is about 4 weeks ahead of the UK in being prepared.
It meets all of the criteria necessary for gradual reopening.
But then, the death rate has only been a quarter of the UK's,

[Saur]

It warms my heart that the Evening Standard only has 74.2K subscribers.

[Error-ketf]

I give it a month before we see some restrictions reinstated as the infection rate grows.

[ogs]

We could get a sec wave of tis if wer not care full.

[chieflazarus]

In other news, Britain and Scotland remain shut

[deet]

1st thing I’ll be doing if the next lockdown causes a big recession, I’ll be heading to either Poland Romania or Nigeria and I’ll be goin on the housing list and availing of the covid payment while waiting for my new house to be ready, they will welcome all the Irish with open arms coz in fairness we do it for them.🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪

[bogbay]

infestaton of crazies and bots in the

[forgewire]

Yes for sure, politicians need to play golf.

[ludothehammer]

Bored at home here so I just ran the numbers on Irelands death ratio per head of population. Our death ratio per thousand is .027. UK's ratio per thousand is .052. USAs ratio per thousand is .031. For all the bad press Trump is getting regarding his administration's handling of the corona virus it's much the same as Irelands rate. So is it a case of Trump not so bad or Varadkar not so good ?. Or mabey both?

[maurbyrne]

"Ireland and Northern Ireland " - It's really OK to use the single word "Ireland"... We get it. Its the island out west!

[jamesbyrne]

Very Proud of our country and Government

[itsmyireland]

Golf and tennis, games for the rich, , don’t see many golf pitch’s or tennis courts in Council estates, what a joke

[seamusdarcy]

And the elderly people in Old folks homes have been imprisoned since Mid- March with no visitors and a completely inadequate health system which has ensured that Ireland is tops in fatalities in the world

[deeeknzadna]

Donald trump I believe that coronavirus is over I demand the coronavirus is over now everybody can go

[EmpressAisha]

I am so so proud of the Irish government and people with the way this pandemic was handled 👏🏾❤️

[biggod]

Angling can start but the car parks at the government controlled lakes and rivers are locked you can play golf and tennis but you can't go shooting on your own you can't travel to see your family but you can to meet strangers that makes N Ireland the only part of the UK where Dogging is legal.

[Kevmc]

This video is absolute nonsense eith have proper journalistic commentary or dont bother at all

[byzutkg]

We are all one on this island, no more “northern and southern” talk. United Ireland on the way. North men, South men, comrades all. Dublin, Belfast, Cork to Donegal. 🇮🇪

[TominoK]

Please don't use Gloves, its just polluting environment as I can see many around neighbourhood and is so stupid idea to wear them as a protection simply nonsense!!!