A local Minister says last night's decision was a personally difficult one to make.
Monaghan TD and Minister Heather Humphreys says that the numbers in the three border counties have been stark over the past number of weeks and months.
She acknowledged that the news may have come as a shock to many people but says that the country is in a dangerous place and the common aim is to protect lives.
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Speaking to Shannonside Northern Sound Minister Humphreys stated Level 5 is not inevitable and the next few weeks will tell a lot about us as a country.
She also highlighted that she found this decision particularly difficult:
