Crossing the border may not be advisable, even when the Republic's travel restrictions lift in late December, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has reportedly told a Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting.
Sources told The Irish Times that Mr Varadkar expressed concerns at yesterday's private meeting about the number of coronavirus cases in Northern Ireland compared to the Republic.
Sources said the Irish Government will consider if cross-border travel is advised around Christmas.
Mr Varadkar said it was inevitable that cases will rise after restrictions are lifted in December.
He said "the way to infantilise people is not to tell them the truth" and added that the virus spreads when people come into contact.
The Tánaiste previously said that the north had taken a "less intensive approach" than the Republic in its handling of the pandemic.
