Irish health minister says some sectors could reopen ahead of plan

FILE PHOTO: Irish Health Minister Simon Harris attends a news conference on the ongoing situation with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Government Buildings in Dublin, Ireland March 24, 2020. Steve Humphreys/Pool via REUTERS

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Some parts of Ireland's economy could restart ahead of schedule if the novel coronavirus remains under control, Ireland's Health Minister told Reuters on Wednesday, expressing cautious optimism of moving into phase two of a reopening plan on June 8.

Ireland partially reopened its economy on Monday, in the first of five stages that constitute one of the most conservative plans in Europe for rolling back a lockdown imposed in late March. The number of new cases recorded of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, has stayed below 100 for four successive days for the first time since March 18.