Dr. Tony Holohan:

Deputy Cullinane is correct in his assumptions. What I am saying is that we can never rule anything out, but we do not think we are going to be in a situation where some of the significant restrictions that had to be imposed on the Irish population are likely to be necessary on the basis of anything we see in front of us right now. In broad terms, we are optimistic about the trajectory of the disease at this point in time. The likelihood is that over the course of the coming weeks the important criteria that we set out in our last advice to the Government and need to be satisfied before we think we are able to move on, if I could put it in those general terms, will be met and that the range of measures that are still in place will be eased. We think we are a short number of weeks away from that and we do not see anything at this point in time emerging in the international scene, globally, by way of concern about a new variant. We cannot forget the potential of other forms of viruses to create pandemics. In particular having had the experience of the past 18 months, I am simply saying we cannot rules things out in terms of a response, but that is not the same as saying that we expect-----