The Taoiseach has confirmed that the entire country will move to Level Three coronavirus restrictions.

It comes after Cabinet rejected the National Public Health Emergency Team’s (NPHET) recommendation to move to Level Five.

Speaking outside Government Buildings this evening, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Minister held “very detailed discussions” since receiving the recommendation.

He said the potential implications of moving to a full lockdown at this stage are “are severe and very different from those we faced earlier this year.”

“It could involve the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs, with these concentrated in families and communities that are already experiencing difficulties,” he said.

“An immediate, comprehensive lockdown would make it much harder to deal with non-COVID health concerns including the impact of isolation on the mental health of many of our people.”

He insisted that the country is now in a very different position to where we were when the outbreak began.

“The economic, social and non COVID health impacts of the response must be different now,” he said.

“Businesses are beginning to recover and vital public health services are still backlogged.

“Severe restrictions now would have a very damaging impact which those services and businesses may not be able to recover from.”

All remaining counties to join Donegal and Dublin on Level 3 under Ireland’s Plan for Living with COVID-19 - https://t.co/jg4FvSWREB pic.twitter.com/sn0ihp3ujB

— MerrionStreet.ie #StaySafe #HoldFirm (@merrionstreet) October 5, 2020

The entire country will now move to Level Three from midnight tomorrow until October 27th.

Meanwhile, policing of the restrictions will be stepped up, with greater garda enforcement of the ban on travel between counties and on the other measures in place for businesses, restaurants and cafes.

“The evidence is very clear that most people are following guidelines in limiting their activities and reducing the risk that they might spread or catch the virus; however, there is also no doubt that others are taking a more lax attitude,” said Mr Martin.

“Whether it is inviting others to our homes or how we behave setting, the virus is spreading because people are allowing it to spread.”

Restaurants and Cafes (including bars/pubs serving food/wet pubs) may remain open for take-away and delivery and outdoor dining/service to an absolute maximum of 15 people. Wet pubs in Dublin remain closed.

Libraries will be available for e-services and call and collect.

— MerrionStreet.ie #StaySafe #HoldFirm (@merrionstreet) October 5, 2020

The Taoiseach said the virus has already challenged us all “to our very core” but said we have shown in the past that we can be resilient as a country.

“If we all act now, we can stop the need to go further and introduce Level Four and Level Five restrictions,” he said.

“The most important thing for all of us to understand is that what will happen next rests in our own hands and in our responsibility to each other.

“Whether or not you are afraid of the virus, every one of us can have an impact on the lives of others.

“The spirit of community and caring for others lies at the heart of what is best in the Irish character.

Now, as much as ever before, we have to recommit ourselves to this spirit.”

Paschal Donohoe at the Eurogroup meeting in Berlin. Picture by: Kay Nietfeld/DPA/PA Images

Speaking at a press conference after the announcement, the Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said there would have been mass unemployment immediately if the country moved to level Five.

“As I was informed yesterday of the recommendation made by NPHET, my view was then, as it is now that the impact of a move like that, in those circumstances, would have been immediate for many, many, many tens of thousands of jobs,” he said.

The Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said he hoped this evening’s announcement would act as a “wake-up call.”

“It is a message today to people around the country that if we really apply those measures, could that work and could we avoid some of the other economic and health damage that would be done if we had more restrictive measures in place.”