The Health Minister said antigen tests will be available for a "few euro" soon, but they won't be free for the general public.
Stephen Donnelly said the price will be clarified "very shortly", but he can't give an exact date for when the cheaper tests will be available.
The Government announced a range of measures yesterday to try to combat the current surge of COVID-19 cases.
The measures include a midnight 'curfew' for the hospitality sector and people being asked to work from home wherever possible.
Plans are being finalised for cheaper antigen tests - subsidised by the Government - but no concrete details were provided during yesterday's meeting.
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Minister Donnelly said he's been a "strong advocate" of rapid tests.
He insisted they are already being used widely, with "thousands of boxes" of free tests being sent out to close contacts daily.
He said they're also being used for mass testing in the likes of care homes.
While antigen tests are available in many shops and pharmacies, he said the price for the general public does need to come down to a "few euro".
Minister Donnelly suggested the exact price will be clarified "very shortly" - saying it won't be weeks or months.
When asked why they won't be free like they are in the UK, the Health Minister claimed the British government has faced "huge criticism" in parliament for the cost of their mass testing regime.
He suggested it could still cost several hundred million euro to subsidise the tests, but he and Government believe it's an important thing to do.
