A moment of optimism as Taoiseach announces the grand reopening

There was a sense of history being made as ministers gathered at Government Buildings and some attended remotely to agree the end of pandemic restrictions

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar, at last Friday night’s press conference at Government Buildings. Picture: Julien Behal

The cabinet meeting in Government Buildings to sign off on the grand reopening was one of the shortest of the entire pandemic.

Ministers were described as being relaxed and relieved to be able to make decisions on scrapping all the Covid-19 restrictions that have caused so much disruption to people’s lives and the economy over the past two years.

All the previous rows with the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) were quickly forgotten, as ...