Schools and non-essential construction sites are to close until the end of January.

Senior ministers this evening agreed a range of strict new measures in response to surging coronavirus figures.

Schools are to remain closed for the coming weeks, with exceptions for children with special needs.

The vast majority of construction sites will close with exceptions for certain projects deemed essential.

For the retail sector, click and collect services will be replaced by delivery services.

The Minister of State for Disabilities, Anne Rabbitte told Newstalk she welcomes the new measures.

“We need to flatten this curve at this moment in time and the only way we can do that is to reduce the amount of movement around the place,” she said.

“One of the ways is that we confined people to working form home and educating from home.”

Meanwhile, travellers coming into Ireland will soon have to present a negative coronavirus test on arrival.

Passengers will have to sit the PCR test within three days of travelling here.

Cabinet is expected to sign off on the new restrictions when it meets tomorrow morning.

It comes as officials announced 5,325 new confirmed cases of the virus alongside 17 further virus-related deaths.

Reporting from Eoghan Murphy