The Taoiseach says the 8 pm closing time could be scrapped for the hospitality sector.
Such a move would certainly bring some good news for pubs and restaurants in Carlow and Kilkenny
The curfew has been in place for weeks in an effort to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.
But while cases surged over Christmas, officials are hopeful now that the peak of the wave has passed.
Micheal Martin has acknowledged that the restrictions are very severe on the sector and says the issue will be examined next week:
“We’re making progress against Omicron. There will be a meeting of NPHET next week and I would hope that we would be in a position to move further in terms of the current restrictions”