Members of the Cabinet sub-committee on Covid-19 are set to meet today to discuss the prospect of keeping schools closed for the rest of the month.
Government sources said yesterday that the option is being considered but no final decision has yet been made.
The sub-committee will meet today and a full Cabinet meeting will be held tomorrow morning.
However, a final decision may not be reached until the end of the week.
A number of ministers believe that given the huge surge in the number of Covid-19 cases in Ireland, schools should remain closed for at least another week.