LATEST: Restrictions to end as 11,863 new cases of virus confirmed

A further 11,863 people have contracted Covid-19, the Department of Health confirmed this evening.

The Department of Health has been notified of 5,767 additional PCR-confirmed cases of Covid-19, as well as 5,916 positive antigen tests registered through the HSE portal.

The number of people in ICU is 93, while there are now 979 people in hospital with the virus.

The latest figures come as Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told the Fine Gael parliamentary party of his wish to set March 31 as a deadline to end almost all legal Covid restrictions.

Mr Varadkar reportedly told his party TDs, Senators and MEPs that the government cannot promise anything yet and there is still the option of extending for another three months until the end of June.