The number of people hospitalised with Covid-19 has fallen to its lowest level in four weeks.
As of 8am, there were 487 patients being treated for the virus, down 41 on the same time yesterday.
It compares to a figure of 536 on this day last week.
The Department of Health this afternoon announced 5,622 confirmed cases have been reported.
There are 114 people in ICU with Covid-19, up four from yesterday. There were 121 people with the virus in ICU this day last week.
Number of people in hospital falls below 500 for first time since October. Plan is working - 3rd doses, masks, test & isolate, physical distancing. Thank you for what you are doing. Please don't lose heart. Let’s all have a safe Christmas #protectourprogress pic.twitter.com/f6yypv4kO6
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) December 4, 2021
The HSE's Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) is expected to take on a role in reviewing NPHET's modelling of Covid-19.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that the modelling - which explores scenarios and potential impacts of measures taken - has at times been "too pessimistic".
He said some sort of external review of the public health team's modelling "would be useful."
Speaking after the announcement of new restrictions last night, Mr Varadkar said there is a need to accept and respect that modelling is all about the variables.
"There are so many variables that are put into the modelling that they are never going to be right. But it would be better if they were more right in to the future if that is possible."
At a glance: New restrictions ahead of Christmas
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Immunologist and TCD Professor of Biochemistry Luke O'Neill said the new restrictions make sense and are being driven by the emergence of the Omicron variant.
Speaking on RTÉ's Brendan O'Connor, Prof O'Neill said it is hoped the restrictions will be enough to overcome the threat posed in the coming weeks and that "overall we have to be behind them".
He said new research shows that the Omicron variant "looks like it has picked up a piece of the common cold" which suggests it causes a mild illness.
However, it could also become the most dominant variant as it is being shown to be 2.5 times more likely to infect someone who was previously infected by the Delta variant.
