Around 150,000 people including many in the counties of Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal are expected to lose their jobs when level five restrictions kick in from midnight tomorrow.
Ireland has become the first European country to enter a second lockdown with all non-essential retail to close.
However, some measures are more lenient than level five was planned - with schools to stay open, 25 people allowed to attend weddings and elite sport including the inter-county GAA season allowed to continue.
People will have to work from home unless they're an essential worker, and can't go beyond 5km of their home except in limited circumstances.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has defended the decision not to move to level five two weeks ago when first asked by NPHET:
https://filedn.com/lglCaxamfnlV2gaMY6rU7tH/News%20Clips%202020/Mart5in%20clip%202010.mp3
