Prime Minister Leo Varadkar: I can confirm that it is safe to proceed with phase one of our plan to ease the COVID-19 restrictions from Monday Ireland will also introduce a legally binding 14-day quarantine period for travelers arriving in the country DUBLIN: Ireland will begin to lift its coronavirus lockdown in the coming days, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Friday, starting a staggered easing of restrictions set to stretch until August. “I can confirm that it is safe to proceed with phase one of our plan to ease the COVID-19 restrictions from Monday,” he said. Ireland will also introduce a legally binding 14-day quarantine period for travelers arriving in the country, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said. The Irish cabinet agreed to make it mandatory for arrivals to fill out forms outlining where they will quarantine. “We’re going to examine means by which it can be enforced thereafter,” Varadkar said. Travelers from Northern Ireland will be exempt.