"Treat us with respect, equality and fairness."
Like many other publicans across the country, owners at Mellett's Emporium in Swinford Co. Mayo have been closed since mid-March. Awaiting an official decision on whether they will be allowed to reopen at the end of this month, they've questioned what exactly is needed in order for government to allow them to do so.
"Tomorrow 3500 pubs and 25000 barstaff will hopefully get some clarity. If we cannot open we need serious supports
@LeoVaradkar BUT we also need a roadmap. What are NPHET waiting for? Is it zero Covid? A vaccine? How low do cases have to be before we can open?"
Also tagging Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly in the tweet, it's clear that publicans want definite answers.
https://twitter.com/melletts1797/status/1298919245385027584
As one onlooker pointed out, the country was averaging 16 cases per day over a seven day period when the reopening was first postponed. Replying to the comment, Mellett's Emporium questioned how much lower cases need to be before government will reconsider.
"Yes so how much lower than that does it have to go?? If it’s zero then they need to come out and tell us so we can all seriously rethink our businesses for the future."
Another dubbed the treatment of pubs and pub owners as "discrimination" calling on both government and NPHET to clarify why they refuse to open pubs.
Header image via Twitter/Mellett's Emporium
