Face masks can be taken off in schools, shops, on public transport and in the workplace.
The recommendation from the top medics of NPHET means that the last of the harsh Covid restrictions is now set to be lifted.
The only place people will have to wear masks from now on in this country is in healthcare settings.
The letter containing the advice was written up by Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Tony Holohan, and delivered to the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly.
The advice states that the masks rule should be dropped from February 28th, but the Government could choose to make the changes earlier than that, as they’ve done in the past.
Green leader, Eamon Ryan, is in favour of moving on this advice “straight away” which means Monday could be a likely day for the easing of the rule.
The penning of the recommendation letter was also one of the last actions of Dr Tony Holohan as head of the sometimes controversial NPHET group.
Dr Holohan reportedly thanked the members for all their work over the last two years at the meeting and told them he would be recommending a new forum for the management of Covid going forward.
It is understood that the CMO and Government are both keen to move away from the emergency, crisis management style NPHET operated under.
All of the indications in Government Building point to the Government now acting swiftly and accepting the advice.
A senior minister told the Irish Mirror: “Yes, we welcome them, and we’re going to act on them.
“And I suspect that the entire Cabinet will be united on that.”
And Taoiseach Micheál Martin told the TDs, Senators and MEPs of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on Wednesday night that he believed the Government should move to “guidance”instead of enforcement when it came to Covid rules.
Mr Martin was locked in late night discussions with EU and Africa leaders at a summit in Brussels on Thursday night.
Green party leader, Eamon Ryan, was deputising for him during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil and he said the Government is keen to act quickly if NPHET gave them the green light on relaxing the masks rule - he wants the recommendations implemented “straight away.”
Mr Ryan said: “My view, which I am happy to share, is that we should start immediately by removing the requirement for schoolchildren to wear masks in school.
“It was introduced for good public health reasons, but there are also good reasons for them not having to wear masks, for the health of children in a wider context.
“I hope that can be done straight away.
“I have the same view with regard to retail and public transport.
“I believe we should go from a mandatory system towards a public health guidance to continue to wear masks.
“It makes good public health sense.
“I would advise anyone to continue with it for the immediate future because we still have Covid-19 at quite a scale.
“However, the time for mandatory conditions is part of the unwinding.
“I will listen and heed.
“Obviously, we will take NPHET's views into account, but my view is that we should further the loosening of the restrictions in place.
“I listen with respect to the teachers unions and the public transport and bus workers unions, but my view is that while I expect the vast majority of people will continue to wear masks for the immediate future, we should not continue it as a mandatory system.”
Junior minister, Patrick O’Donovan, was speaking on RTE’s Drivetime, where he said: “Personally, people are anxious to move forward and I’ve been out and about in the past few days, some people are anxious that they be retained.
“Some people are not anxious, they want to see them gone, some people feel a bit nervous, they want to retain them for personal use.
“But I think the wider public feel that, you know, we’re ready to step out again of the next level of restrictions and to leave them behind us.”
People Before Profit /Solidarity TD, Paul Murphy, who previously advocated for a much harsher, Zero Covid strategy, still had some concerns.
He said: “I would urge the government to consider frontline workers such as teachers, transport workers, retail staff, children and the vulnerable when making their decisions on mask wearing.
“The numbers of toddlers and school children hospitalised in the last month is very alarming, and we should do everything we can to protect more children from this potentially very traumatic experience, and from the threat of long Covid.”
