Thread by @gavreilly

Here, again.

Micheál Martin to deliver a live televised address on the latest #Covid19ireland restrictions, on @VirginMediaNews in a few minutes.

@VirginMediaNews Taoiseach: The Omicron variant is "exploding throughout Europe"… we are in the early days, but it's clear "we are dealing with a hugely transmissible strain", several times more transmissible than Delta

@VirginMediaNews Taoiseach: More than a third of all new cases in Ireland are attributed to Omicron; question is how we slow that rise. Left unchecked, it would present a "very significant" threat to hospitals and critical care, but also to economy and society

Taoiseach: We are likely to see infections in excess of anything we have seen to date. It is that serious.

"I thank, from the bottom of my heart, all those of you on the frontline of our health system for your extraordinary service"

Taoiseach: "With Omicron it is also becoming clearer that vaccines on their own aren't going to be enough to get through this wave safety"

"There needs to be a very strong and immediate reduction in contacts"

The need to move quickly and to reduce social contact is clear…

From Sunday:

- Restaurants and bars, excluding takeaways/delivery, must close a t8pm
- No indoor events after 8pm
- Earlier indoor events capped at 50% or 1k
- Outdoor events capped at 50% or 5k, whichever lower
- Wedding receptions capped at 100

NEW: Close contacts with a booster must restrict their movements for 5 days after notification; unboosted close contacts must restrict for 10.

Govt also, seemingly, maintaining the requirement to have a PCR/antigen before arrival onto Ireland - NPHET said it could be scrapped

"The news will be deeply disappointing for many. It is not the news I wanted to bring you. nor is it the news you wanted to hear. However, and this is important: the truth is that we are in a much better place than we were this time last year."

"This Christmas, please be safe and look after each other."