Newstalk Breakfast's Ciara Kelly reacts to the possibility of extending restrictions. The Taoiseach has warned that the major easing of restrictions planned for next week cannot be guaranteed. It comes after senior Government officials were warned that COVID is on the rise again with the R number now trending above one. The meeting was reportedly told that there has been a sudden change in COVID figures in the past week – with cases, hospital admissions and ICU admissions all on the rise. This evening a further 2,066 COVID cases were announced – the highest daily figure in three weeks. The 408 coronavirus patients in Irish hospitals is up 19% on this day last week; however the 69 patients in intensive care is down one on last week. Speaking to reporters, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the situation is concerning – a warned that a final decision on reopening will not be made until next week. “Presentations were made to officials and I received a briefing on that this afternoon in respect of the growth of the seven-day incidence and in terms of the pattern of disease affecting all age groups now at this stage,” he said. “That is a matter of concern. That is what I am saying right now and therefore we have to feed that into whatever decisions we make early next week.” Speaking in the Dáil, Mr Martin said people need to keep protecting themselves. “Over the course of the last seven days the rate of infection, the number of hospital admissions and the rate of ICU admissions have all increased. “The pandemic has not gone away and it requires all of us to continue to be careful.”