Minister of State John Halligan has suggested easing COVID-19 restrictions on a regional basis in the coming weeks.

It comes amid a split among ministers over the next steps in the national response to the crisis, with a decision expected on Friday.

Mr Halligan did not contest the last election and was not present at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, he said he would have pushed for restrictions to be eased if he had been there.

“We are in a position now where we have lost tens of thousands of jobs,” he said.

“They have already been lost and the longer we remain in lockdown, the more damage it will do to the economy.

“There is a detrimental effect that isolation is having on families, consideration must be given, I think, to those effects.

“There are health-associated issues with the lockdown – mental health, domestic violence, self-harm and we have no data on that yet.

“I think a balance has to be struck on this right now and over the coming months.”

He said it is time to consider a phased lifting of the lockdown, “perhaps on a regional basis.”

Regional restrictions

He noted that half the country’s cases are in Dublin, while the figures for Waterford account for a tiny percentage of the city’s population.

“So, I think we should be looking at the country and looking at the effect that it is having – as other countries are doing right across Europe,” he said. “I think we should be doing the same.”

“This was brought up at Cabinet yesterday and I am not breaking Cabinet confidentiality but I know there was a division in Cabinet where some people are thinking as I am thinking.”

COVID-19 cases by region. Image: Health Protection Surveillance Centre

According to the latest data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, Dublin accounts for just under half of the country’s confirmed cases.

Kildare has now overtaken Cork with the second highest number of cases – with 5.9% and 5.8% respectively.

Meanwhile, counties like Carlow, Longford, Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon, Waterford and Wexford account for less than 1% each.

Clare, Kilkenny, Laois and Offaly account for just over 1%.

National Public Health Emergency Team

He said people need to see what the plan for coming out of the lockdown is over the coming months.

“People need certainty as to where we are going and what we are doing because generally the people of Ireland have been excellent, with the exception of a very, very tiny minority,” he said.

“But you can see the stress levels rising – that has been accepted right across the country. So, I think people have a right to know what is happening and how we are doing it.”

He said the public needs more accountability from the National Public Health Emergency Team – with more information on who selected the panel, who it reports to and how it reaches its decisions.