The Health Minister Simon Harris says some people are "stretching their understanding" of public health advice on the coronavirus.
Minister Harris told Pat Kenny an increase in the number of cases is down to an increase in testing.
"We're not waiting in certain nursing homes for staff or residents to show symptoms, we're actually taking a very precautionary approach and testing everybody in those homes.
"So you would expect when you go testing more, and particularity when you go testing amongst vulnerable groups, you find more of the virus."
But he said some people are starting to loosen the definition of the restrictions on movement.
It comes as two graphs from the NPHET suggested people are moving around more.
The first, from the Irish National Seismic Network, showed data from an instrument used to measure earthquake activity that also picks up the movement of people and traffic.
The second displayed Apple Mobility Data, which also measures activity on the country’s roadways.
Both showed a sharp drop in activity since the restrictions were put in place - however, they also showed an increase in activity in recent days.
On this, Minister Harris said: "I can tell you this morning being in Dublin city - while it's still quiet, it's not as quiet as it was a few days ago.
"So I think we're all beginning to realise that people are - I'm not saying they're flouting the public health advice - people are a little bit tired, a little bit fatigued and I think people are beginning to stretch their understanding of the public health advice a little bit."
"Even essential workers who are allowed leave their homes to go to work, the rule is only work away from home if you can't work in home... I think they're beginning to say 'Ah sure I'll go into the office for a few hours' - we need that to stop".
"What we need to do over these next 10, 11 days now is really strictly adhere to it.
"If we can suppress this virus more, and in fairness to people they've done an amazing job of suppressing the virus... if we can get it down further in the next 10 to 12 days it does give us more options as a country".
