Leo Varadkar has said that pubs that can't operate as restaurants could remain closed beyond August 10 after they were ordered not to open this coming Monday as planned.
Last night, it was confirmed that Ireland will not be moving to phase 4 of the roadmap next week, meaning that pubs across the country will have to remain shut for three more weeks at least. While August 10 is the new date pencilled in for the reopening of pubs and nightclubs, newly-appointed Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has now said that this may not be the case.
Speaking in the Dáil today, Varadkar said: "I do need to be clear, what we're saying is that pubs and nightclubs will not open any sooner than August 10.
"We're not saying they will open on August 10, we are saying they will open no sooner than August 10 and it will depend on the numbers and on how the virus behaves."
He added that "I know that a lot of people running pubs and hotels will be very disappointed at the decision Government took last night but will acknowledge that the decision was taken for good reasons and that reason was public health."
Other details that were added last night include the provision that social visits to people's homes should be limited to 10 people from no more than four households. You can read more about the deferral of phase 4 of Ireland's roadmap
here.
