The Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said Ireland is "not in a position" to restore the Common Travel Area (see Ferry News) just yet because the advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team is that there are "real concerns" about the prevalence of the variant that first originated in India in Britain.

He added that these restrictions could continue when travel has resumed within the EU this summer.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Varadkar said the lifting of restrictions will see a "phased return" to international travel but warned that it will not be like it was before the pandemic.

He said it is great there will be a return to travel abroad soon, but the Government is going to do it as safely as possible.

"There are going to be restrictions and requirements around vaccines and testing and we will be back to a situation with different rules for different countries," he said.

Mr Varadkar said the date for international travel will be confirmed later today at Cabinet with a clear roadmap and confirmed that all EU countries will come off the mandatory hotel quarantine list.

More here from RTE News.