The country is to start reopening from Monday, May 10, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin, has confirmed.

According to Mr Martin, this has been "a very tough and unprecedented year", but the public has done everything that has been asked of it. As a result, the Government believes that it is "now safe to move forward".

From May 10, people will be allowed to travel anywhere in the country. Currently people can only travel within their own county.

Three households will also be allowed to meet outdoors, including in gardens, while one vaccinated household will be allowed to meet one unvaccinated household indoors.

Hairdressers and other personal services are also set to reopen on May 10, as are museums, galleries and libraries. The number of people who can attend religious services, including weddings and funerals, will also increase to 50. However, people having indoor receptions after their wedding will still only be allowed to have six guests.

Retail click and collect services will resume on May 10, while all retail, including non-essential retail, will fully reopen on May 17.

Hospitality will then start to reopen in June, with hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs reopening on June 2, and pubs and restaurants allowed to serve customers outdoors from June 7. It is unclear when indoor dining will resume.

Mr Martin said that the national vaccination programme is "progressing well', despite the many challenges it has faced and its continuing rollout is "the over-riding priority".

He described vaccines as "transformative" and said that the rollout will be "accelerated significantly" over the weeks ahead. However, he urged people to stick with the strategy and continue to follow the public health measures.

"Our individual behaviour remains key. Let's stick to the strategy, stay safe and continue to mind each other," he added.

For more details on the latest public health measures, click here.