Covid emergency powers, which were introduced by the Government at the beginning of the pandemic two years ago, expired at midnight on Thursday.
The powers allowed the Government to impose legal restrictions in a bid to stop the spread of Covid.
Extensions to the legislation were granted on several occasions by the Health and Criminal Justice Act 2021 as lockdowns came into effect.
The Act gave Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly the power to introduce restrictions to decrease infection rates.
The expiration of the powers will mean several changes for Irish people.
Face masks
The lifting of face mask rules has been the centre of debate in recent days as Covid case numbers continue to rise and hospitals come under increasing pressure.
However, the lapsing of legislation means that a mandate would be needed to reintroduce the requirement for mask-wearing, which the Government and CMO Dr Tony Holohan have ruled out.
Since the end of February, masks have not been mandatory for any indoor setting, including schools, shops, restaurants, or bars. However, people are advised to continue to wear masks on public transport or in a healthcare setting.
Travel
The Minister for Health will no longer be able to restrict travel to and from Ireland or within the country.
Although, this will not make a huge difference for Irish passengers as all restrictions were removed on travel to Ireland on March 6.
Passengers no longer need to complete a locator form or provide proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test.
Some rules remain in other countries, however.
Closing of businesses
The Government will also no longer have the power to shut businesses' doors to curtail Covid surges.
Since the powers came into effect, businesses were forced to close and reopen many times as measures were taken to spot the spread of the virus.
Restrictions on indoor hospitality and entertainment venues have been lifted, and proof of vaccination or recovery is no longer required to enter these premises.
The end of the legislation also means requirements on the numbers of people who can gather socially are over.
The future of Covid in Ireland
The World Health Organisation has outlined what the future of Covid-19 could look like as the virus is expected to stick around for quite some time.
Speaking about the trajectory of the disease, it said most likely, the severity of Covid would wane over time as greater public immunity is developed.
However, the UN health agency warned that a more dangerous variant could still emerge despite greater immunity.
The WHO released its updated Covid-19 plan as chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he hopes it will be the last time such plan is needed.
Speaking at a press conference, Dr Tedros said: "Based on what we know now, the most likely scenario is that the virus continues to evolve, but the severity of disease it causes reduces over time as immunity increases due to vaccination and infection."
READ MORE: Major change to Ireland's Covid rules being considered as Tony Holohan gives update on face masks
READ MORE: New NPHET-style taskforce to tackle fuel bills could be linked to Met Eireann weather warning system
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter.
