Pressure is mounting on the government to end Covid restrictions sooner than the end of the month.
Backbenchers and members of the opposition are calling on the government to act quickly on any new NPHET advice which is expected tomorrow.
The Tanaiste had earlier told a meeting of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party the waning severity of the Omicron variant combined with high levels of immunity in the population mean restrictions should be eased quickly over the coming weeks.
Neil McDonnell The Chief executive of ISME which represents small and medium enterprises said his members would welcome any move to end the restrictions early.
"We're delighted to see any proposals to lift them.
"However I have to say some of the stuff that has been stated in the media by the Tanaiste that most restrictions would end by the end of March - that to us given the current direction of the numbers seems to be too far away at the moment."
