‘It’s not practical in midwinter’ – TD calls for indoor dining to be allowed in December

Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan has called for some tweaks to Level 3 to allow for indoor dining at cafés and restaurants in December.

Ireland is currently under Level 5 restrictions until December 1 and that means that pubs, cafés and restaurants are currently only permitted to operate takeaway services. However, with Covid-19 cases decreasing in recent weeks, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said yesterday that there could be a mix of Level 2 and Level 3 restrictions in Ireland throughout December.

Level 2 restrictions allow for groups of up to six people from three different households to dine together at restaurants or cafés but under Level 3, a ‘range of restrictions up to and including no indoor dining’ could be in place. Mr. O’Sullivan tweeted yesterday to say that ‘I am asking cabinet to prepare for December when we hopefully move back to Level 3 restrictions. It’s not practical for cafes and restaurants to accommodate outdoor dining only in mid winter. Some tweaks to Level 3 to allow indoor should be considered.’

https://mobile.twitter.com/COSullivanTD/status/1324348848148500481

Ireland has been under Level 5 restrictions since October 21 and a review is expected to take place after four weeks (November 18). However, despite an improving Covid-19 outlook, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has suggested that Level 5 restrictions will remain in place until the six weeks are up on December 1.

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