The Taoiseach Micheál Martin has confirmed that the scheduled reopening of indoor hospitality will be delayed until July 19th, at which time the government will propose a plan for how the reopening will work.
The Taoiseach has not confirmed an opening date for the sector, saying the priority was to ensure that “when a sector reopens it stays open”.
Indoor hospitality had been scheduled to return next Monday (5th), but following concerns and an assessment from NPHET about the potential spread of the Delta variant of COVID, this has been put back.
NPHET advised that indoor dining could potentially return, but only for fully vaccinated people. Restaurant and pub groups remain concerned regarding how this rule could be implemented, with public concern mounting too regarding the vaccination status of the many young people who work in hospitality.
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There was also confirmation that any sector currently open will remain open, and that other easings scheduled for July 5th will go ahead as planned.
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However, confirmations and communions which had been scheduled for July, will not go ahead.
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The Taoiseach stressed that “over the course of the coming weeks, government will work, urgently, with the relevant sectors to agree a practical and workable approach,” and added that the government are unlikely to engage with any outside scrutiny of NPHET's modelling.
Header image via Shutterstock
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