Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said that today is "a day of freedom" as society partially reopens and people can travel freely across the country.
Mr Varadkar said the public can begin to meet their friends and family again and he welcomed the return of religious services.
Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he said 12,000 businesses are set to reopen this week and 100,000 people will go back to work.
Mr Varadkar said that existing financial support for business will remain in place until the end of June and further clarity will be given later this month on what will happen thereafter.