Ireland’s Covid-19 case numbers are “going in the right direction”, Leo Varadkar has said.
The Tánaiste said falling case numbers prove that lockdown is working and strengthen the case for a phased reopening of schools, which he described as a Government priority.
However, Mr Varadkar warned there remains a “long way to go” in the battle against the virus.
He said numbers, while improved, are still well above the peak figures for the first wave last year.
His comments came at a meeting of Fine Gael’s parliamentary party on Wednesday.
Members heard the Government is doing its best to co-ordinate with other jurisdictions, with five operating on the two islands of Ireland and Britain.
Schools
Meanwhile, Fine Gael TDs unanimously passed a motion calling for a review into the consistency of remote learning while schools are closed; the capacity to accelerate the reopening of schools on a phased basis; and certainty around whether state examinations will be held this year.
The meeting also heard that everything possible is being done to get schools back up and running.
It comes as post-primary teachers' unions disagreed on Wednesday evening over a move to facilitate the return of Leaving Certificate students to classrooms this month.
However, both the Teachers' Union of Ireland and the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland backed the reopening of special classes in secondary schools from February 22nd.
Meanwhile, a further 54 deaths and 1,006 new cases of Covid-19 were announced on Wednesday.
