A meeting last night between the Government party leaders and leading figures from the National Public Health Emergency Team was described as constructive.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan and Professor Philip Nolan provided an update on the prevalence of the Omicron variant in Ireland.
The prevailing political mood following this meeting was one of calm amid a growing expectation that NPHET will this week urge people to act cautiously this Christmas.
There is a sense that personal responsibility around reducing social contacts and avoiding large crowds will be emphasised.
This is amid a clear political desire to avoid the introduction of major restrictions ahead of the festive period.
Yesterday, the Department of Health reported 3,887 new cases of Covid-19, with the Chief Medical Officer saying results show that around 14% of cases are due to the Omicron variant.
Dr Tony Holohan said: "We can expect this proportion to rise rapidly over the coming days."
There are 493 people in hospital who have tested positive for the virus, down 25 from yesterday.
Of these, 109 are receiving treatment in intensive care units, up one from yesterday.
There is a growing view in Government that almost two years into this pandemic people know what to do to get through this latest phase.
Schools are also expected to remain open until the Christmas holidays.
However, it remains the case that Government could react swiftly at some future point if there is a major increase in hospital admissions.
There is the possibility that a tightening of the rules around major events might be considered with public health experts understood to be concerned about gatherings that could lead to a mass spreading of the variant.
