Re-opening of the country will be led by data, not dates, according to the Taoiseach

It comes as the government roadmap for re-opening contains no promises beyond the 12th of April. 

Level 5 restrictions have been extended until at least April 5th with a review before Easter. 

Schools will re-open on a phased basis next week with childcare also re-opening in March. 

But there will be no other changes before April.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin says he wasn't tempted to follow Boris Johnson's plan full of ambitious targets:

"In terms of dates, you know there's been quite a number of people in the public health side globally as well as in the UK who have said it's not dates- it's data- that should drive, good policy decisions. And so that's the approach we're taking. In the UK they're they're more advanced in their vaccination programmes so they have a different perspective, and are looking at it through different lens."