The government is strongly considering telling people not to travel to Northern Ireland from next week, due to the region's Covid-19 crisis.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told his party colleagues last night the measure may be introduced, but no final decision has been made.
The cabinet sub-committee on Covid-19 will meet this evening to finalise plans to exit level five next week, ahead of an announcement tomorrow.
It's believed shops, gyms and hairdressers will be the first to reopen, with restaurants and hotels expected to follow.
Former HSE director-general Tony O'Brien lives in Co Louth - and he says the government would be right to advise against travel to the North.
"I think it's reasonable, particularly if they're on the brink of relaxing some of the measures here, that in order to protect the people from the transmission of Covid, and until such time as there is an alignment of measures in Northern Ireland, it's best to avoid travel to Northern Ireland at this time.
"I'm fairly close to the border myself, and I haven't crossed it since the situation became so bad, so it's a place where I wouldn't want to go right now."
