The Government is being told it shouldn't use the number of hospitalisations associated with Covid-19, to reach a decision about easing restrictions next week.
Cabinet is to decide on Thursday whether it will give the green light for the further opening of society in July.
But some government Ministers have cast doubt on whether that may be delayed because of the Delta strain of Covid, which now accounts for a fifth of new Coronavirus cases here.
The Transport Minister said hospital figures will be a key factor in decisions, but the chair of the Irish Medical Organisation's GP committee Dr Denis McCauley says the variant may not lead to increased admissions: