The owner of a bar claiming to be Ireland's first 'Covid-free pub' was arrested last night, according to reports this morning.
Donal Byrne of Eileen's Bar in Aghamore, Co Mayo was detained for failing to comply with Covid-19 regulations last night, the
Western People reports. It had been planned that the bar would open last night as
Ireland's first 'Covid-free pub' with testers on-site to ensure that customers were Covid-19 negative before entering.
However, it is understood that 'Gardaí arrived at Mr Byrne’s premises at 7.05pm before he was arrested more than an hour later at 8.18pm.' They said that 'a man in his 30s was arrested for Breaches of the Health Act following “unsuccessful engagement.' The pub was not planning on serving food, which is one of the provisions of current Level 3 hospitality restrictions.
Sources told the Western People that 'a number of people on the premises at the time (the Gardaí arrived) but it was not overcrowded and they were socially distanced. They complied with the Public Health Regulations and the premises was subsequently closed.'
Mr. Byrne has since been released and a file will be prepared for the DPP.
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