Level 5 restriction extended until March 5th

Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced on Tuesday that the Government will extend Level 5 restrictions until March 5th.

The lockdown extension aims to reduce the numbers contracting the Covid-19 virus, and as a result, reduce the the numbers in need of hospitalisation and intensive care.

People travelling into the country without a negative Covid-19 test along with arrivals from Brazil and South Africa will face a mandatory quarantine period in a hotel of up to 14 days.

The Taoiseach said the message for the next six weeks was very simple: stay at home, do not travel, do not make any journeys outside 5km unless absolutely necessary.

He said the hospitals are under enormous pressure and that health workers must be protected.

The date of 5 March will bring Ireland in-step with similar restrictions in Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that all people arriving in the State are now legally required to quarantine for the first time.

Mr Varadkar said some of this quarantining will be done in hotels, some in people's homes.

Legislation will be needed to underpin the move to hold Irish and EU citizens without a negative Covid test in hotels.