People are being encouraged to play it safe as coronavirus restrictions are eased for the first time this year.

The 5km travel limit has been lifted with people now free to travel anywhere within their own county.

You can also travel 20km from home if you are crossing county boundaries.

Meanwhile, up to two households can now meet up outdoors, although people are asked not to meet up in each other’s gardens.

Two households that are fully vaccinated can now also meet up indoors.

Schools will this morning be full for the first time this year, as all first to fourth years return to class.

Residential construction is also resuming today, alongside projects related to early-learning and childcare.

Schools

The Minister of State for Special Education Josepha Madigan said getting schools fully reopened has been the Government’s priority for weeks.

“This is the first time this year that first to fourth years in post-primary have been back,” she said.

“We obviously prioritised the special classes and the special schools so they have been back for some time and we had the fifth years and sixth year back a swell.

“So obviously, the priority for this Government has always been the reopening of schools and this is why we have had no other restrictions eased.

“People might have expected some on the fifth of April and we didn’t do that or the Government didn’t do that – because we wanted to ensure that the schools got back today.”

An empty road in the Wicklow Mountains, 10-04-2021. Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews

Capacity on most public transport will remain at 25% - despite the easing of the restrictions.

Bus Éireann said public transport for schools is being boosted to 50%.

The Teachers Union of Ireland General Secretary, Michael Gillespie encouraged people to stick to public health rules in order to ensure schools can remain open.

Last night, 303 new cases of the virus were reported – the lowest daily figure since mid-December.

There were 223 COPVID-19 in Irish hospitals last night, down more than 10% on the week before.

The acting Chief Medical Officer DR Ronan Glynn said there are “many reasons for hope" as restrictions are eased.

He asked people to continue to follow the measures that remain in place – noting that they, alongside the vaccine programme, are “our way out of this pandemic.”