Residential and nursing homes will allow two visits per week person from today onwards.
The Department of Health has upped the number of visits for families following stricter Level 5 guidelines over recent months.
They say visits will be allowed on general compassionate grounds, where a facility has a high level of vaccinations.
Over the past three months, some visits were allowed on compassionate grounds, but there are residents who have not seen loved ones since December.
From today, if there is a high level of vaccination in a nursing home, residents can receive two visits per week.
The guidelines say there is no requirement to limit those visits to less than one hour.
Visitors must wear masks or PPE and book appointments in advance.
While some nursing homes are cautious about reopening to visitors, the National Public Health Emergency Team has said there is an obligation on nursing homes to implement the guidelines.
