Tanaiste Leo Varadkar has confirmed that pubs and restaurants across Ireland are set to close before New Year's Eve.

It comes after CMO Dr Tony Holohan said a sharp rise in the number of infections could lead to a "risk to life" next month.

A total of 484 new cases were reported across the country on Thursday night, and Dr Holohan fears the return of "exponential growth" in infections.

The National Public Health Emergency Team met yesterday and has recommended that restrictions on gastropubs and restaurants should be reimposed from December 28.

A final decision will be made by Cabinet next Tuesday, but Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar told RTE's Prime Time last night that the hospitality industry was likely to close.

He said: "The numbers have started rising again particularly in the last number of days. The number of people who have tested positive for Covid in the last seven days is 25% higher than the previous seven days.

"And also the positivity rate is rising too, that is a cause for concern and a cause for alarm. So what NPET is recommending is that we should reimpose some restrictions before Christmas and New Year, not getting to January 6 like we hoped."

He added: "The kind of restrictions we would be thinking of imposing between Christmas and New Year would be restrictions on hospitality, essentially closing hospitality again, and limiting visits to one household visiting another household, but not a total ban on household visits.

"But for example non-essential retail and personal services would remain open."

Taoiseach Micheál Martin also admitted on Thursday that more Covid restrictions will likely come into play before the end of the year.

Mr Martin delivered the blow after NPHET has recommended that the government should implement restrictions on the hospitality sector and a cap on the number of households mixing down to one other home before the end of the year.

Mr Martin told RTE News that the government will take these recommendations “very seriously” and said people can expect more restrictions “towards the end of the year, I think before New Years Eve is how I would put it.”

However, he said the government will make a decision on Tuesday about what exact restrictions will be reintroduced “ and the specific nature of the restrictions will have to be decided on by the government.”

While the Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan also expressed his concern over the rising 5-day moving average of cases.

Dr Holohan said: “The 5-day moving average is 387 per day – this is an indicator that the disease is moving quickly when compared to the previous 5-day average.

"The virus is spreading throughout the country, in all age groups.

“We are now getting reports of outbreaks in social settings including workplace settings, Christmas parties and funerals.

"I cannot stress enough how important it is to limit your interactions now.

"The consequences of not doing so will be exponential growth in January, a substantial increase in hospitalisations and risk to life.”