The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is set to meet on Thursday evening to discuss whether Covid-19 restrictions should be eased.
Rules were introduced just before Christmas by officials in order to prevent the surge of the Omicron variant in Ireland, which now accounts for over 90% of new daily cases.
But as the hospital numbers have remained steady and Ireland's booster vaccine programme continues, many are now calling for the restrictions to be eased early, before the scheduled date of January 30.
This could see the 8pm curfew for hospitality moved back to midnight
A senior source said: “It is fair to say that the outlook right now is encouraging.”
The Irish Mirror also understands that Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan met with Health Minister Stephen Donnelly on Monday and gave an update on the current trajectory of the disease.
“It [reopening] may only be a few days earlier if it does happen but businesses will be given plenty of notice. There is cautious optimism that we are pulling through the worst of Omicron now and the public have to be applauded for their efforts.
“But we will have to see what NPHET has to say before any final decision is made,” another senior source said.
If anything does get announced this week, it is believed it will be on Friday.
The NPHET advice, if there is any, will be delivered to the Minister for Health on Thursday evening, though Cabinet are set to meet on Wednesday in advance of that.
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