The reproductive rate for COVID-19 in the Republic is now "remarkably stable", according to the Health Minister.
Simon Harris said the reproductive rate - which refers to the average number of people likely to be infected by each confirmed coronavirus case - is now down to 0.4 to 0.6.
The Government will tomorrow decide on whether to move to first phase of easing coronavirus restrictions from next week.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today said he is increasingly confident that phase one of the reopening plan can begin next week.
In the Dáil this afternoon, Health Minister Simon Harris said the medical evidence is encouraging.
He told deputies: "The [R number] now ranges from 0.4 to 0.6 - a remarkably stable number that has now been below one for the last number of weeks.
"The number of hospital admissions per day has fallen again from 20 a day when I was here with you last week to 15 a day.
"ICU admissions are also now averaging 1-2 a day, from 4-6 a day just two weeks ago."
However, Minister Harris stressed that any easing of the current measures will come with a warning.
He explained: "We must be honest with people about the impacts that this will have. Every movement carries increased risk of exposure to this virus.
"While we want society and the economy to reopen, we must be conscious that the public health risk has not gone away."
He said the goal now is to chart a path to a 'new normal' - something he suggested will be a long road with a 'final destination which is unknown'.
