Northern Ireland’s lockdown will be extended to 1 April but some children will return to school earlier, First Minister Arlene Foster has confirmed.

Speaking at a news conference, Ms Foster said the Northern Ireland Executive was taking a “pragmatic and sensible” approach to restrictions.

“The decisions facing the Executive today have not been straightforward, there are many factors that have been assessed and balanced,” she said.

“But what is clear is we must proceed with great care and with caution. We need our decisions to be both safe and sustainable.

“And I’m determined through the proper sequencing of actions, as we emerge from these restrictions, that we leave lockdowns in the rear view and that we do not step backwards again.”

While the current lockdown measures would remain in force for some weeks yet, Ms Foster said there would be a relaxing of some rules prior to 1 April.

Under the phased return of schools, from 8 March pre-school, nursery and primary school pupils in year groups P1 to P3 will return to face-to-face learning.

On 22 March, secondary pupils who will be awarded qualifications this summer – year groups 12 to 14 – will return to school.

But pre-school, nursery and P1 to P3 pupils will go back to remote learning for a week on that date – for the week prior to the Easter holidays – to minimise the impact on infection rates of years 12-14 returning.

The Executive has also agreed to relax the rules on outdoor gatherings, with groups of 10 or more from no more than two households able to gather outdoors from 8 March.

Click and collect will be permitted for shops selling baby equipment, clothing, footwear, and electrical goods from 8 March.

And the main lockdown restrictions, set to remain until 1 April, will be subject to a review on 18 March.

Ms Foster said the Executive would publish a “decision-making framework” for Northern Ireland’s exit from lockdown on 1 March.

Finance minister Conor Murphy urged people in Northern Ireland not to make plans for the Easter weekend, despite the lockdown extension ending on Holy Thursday.

“The advice would not be to book anything for Easter weekend,” he said.

“I would advise people not to be looking at 1 April as the date that everything will be opening up again.”

Commenting on the reopening of services for some non-essential shops, economy minister Diane Dodds said: “This is a cautious but welcome step.

“Contactless click and collect services provide a measure of protection to our smaller independent businesses while at the same time easing footfall within larger retail outlets.”

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