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.
Deeply, deeply uncomfortable at the thoughts of the young men and women of Ireland being told that they can’t go into a coffee shop to meet their pals, but serving their vaccinated elders in one is ok. Thinking of my students who deserve better from our State.
— Ciara Reilly (@PrimEdTeacher) June 29, 2021
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.
Press conference now underway.
Tánaiste: "Everything that is open will stay open and there will be no new restrictions applying to those things that are open"
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) June 29, 2021
Here is your guide to the changes announced by Taoiseach @MichealMartinTD today⬇️ 🗓️See the changes from July 5th here pic.twitter.com/0yueiID74e
— MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) June 29, 2021
However, confirmations and communions which had been scheduled for July, will not go ahead.
Leo Varadkar asked on the way out whether Communions and Confirmations can go ahead.
"They're off, unfortunately", he says
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) June 29, 2021
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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