Many mart operators are forecasting a blended approach going forward with in-person sales working side by side with online bidding.

Outdoor dining for restaurants, cafes and pubs opened in the North today, the Republic following suit on June 7th.

Personal services and inter-county travel are due to reopen on the 10th of May, with Hotels following on the 2nd of June and pubs and gastro pubs opening outside service for the 10th.

Inter-county travel, hairdressers and increased attendance at funerals are all on the list for May 10th.

You can visit a zoo or try your luck on the golf course again from today

The incident occurred at a church in Athlone and was since been widely shared on social media

Publicans, restauranteurs and hoteliers have been calling for a road map to reopen their sectors.

There's a general expectation that the government won't be announcing any major relaxation of Covid restrictions today due to continued concerns about new variants of the disease