The Irish Government has warned the danger has not passed when it comes to the spread of Covid-19 after data from Dublin Bus showed an increase in the number of journeys taken this week.
Senior Government official Liz Canavan said while the Republic has made good progress in slowing the spread, it is vital the good work is not undone.
She said: "We need to continue to observe the restrictions in place, stay safe and stay at home.
"As we approach the weekend, the guidance remains clear. We all need to continue to play our part. We cannot be content that what we have done so far is enough.
"The virus has not changed, we have. That is why the virus has improved in the general population. We cannot assume that if we relax that the virus will behave any differently than it has up to now.
"It is highly infectious to older people and people with underlying infections. We must stay the course.
"Dublin Bus notified us yesterday evening of an increase in passenger numbers day-on-day this week. All days are above levels seen in previous weeks. They are engaging with the National Transport Authority to get more specific data on this.
"An Garda Siochana will also be updating us to give us their view. They are continuing to monitor the situation in terms of traffic volumes and will continue to urge the public to abide by the measures."
Ms Canavan said it has been eight weeks since the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed. She said social cohesion has been key to Ireland's response and urged people to continue to co-operate to defeat the virus.
