People will also be asked to wear masks on outdoor busy streets.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has confirmed that Ireland will move to Level three restrictions from Tuesday December the 1st.
Addressing the nation, he said "this cannot be the kind of Christmas we are used to. But we will be able to enjoy some respite from the hardship of the last six weeks."
The re-opening is set to unfold in three stages.
Next Tuesday December 1st will see retail, gyms, hairdressers, barbers, museums and cinemas allowed to open, and people will also now be asked to wear masks outdoors on busy streets.
Stage two will see re-opening of restaurants and gastropubs from Friday December 4th
Finally the third stage will see people allowed to travel outside their county and visit other people’s homes – and that will start from December 18th.
The Taoiseach said people must continue to stay within their county, apart from essential purposes, until that date.
Households should also not mix with other households until then.
These eased travel restrictions will remain in place until January 6th and during that time (including Christmas) people can travel outside their county and meet two other households.
The government has also launched a website outlining how to celebrate Christmas safely.
Overview of the new restrictions.
Life under level 3.
- Weddings with up to 25 guests are permitted (same as current provisions).
- Funerals with up to 25 mourners are permitted (same as current provisions).
- Gatherings of 15 people may take place outdoors.
- Non-contact training may take place outdoors in pods of 15.
- Only individual training should take place indoors and no exercise or dance classes are permitted.
- No matches/events may take place except professional and elite sports, approved inter-county Gaelic games, horse-racing and approved equestrian events, all behind closed doors.
- Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools may reopen for individual training only.
- Nightclubs, discos and casinos should remain closed.
- Hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs may open with services limited to residents only.
- Non-essential retail and personal services may reopen.
- Public transport capacity rises to 50%
- Households should not mix with any other households outside those within their bubble
- People should stay within their county apart from work, education and other essential purposes.
- Places of worship to reopen for services with restrictive measures, subject to review in January
- Museums, galleries, cinemas and libraries to reopen
- Wet pubs to remain closed except for takeaway/delivery
