Co-ordinated pub reopening
Deputy Durkan asked that if pubs reopen in mid-August, all pubs should be allowed to open at the same time if they can meet distancing rules. The Tánaiste said the decision would depend on NPHET advice and epidemiological data, and he could not guarantee a positive outcome yet.
While we all recognise the urgent need to continue with best safety practice regarding Covid-19, in the event that regulations might be lifted to allow the opening of pubs in mid-August, would it be possible to ensure that all pubs can open simultaneously, provided they can implement social distancing?
Comment on this
The Government will make this decision at our Cabinet meeting next Tuesday. It will depend on two things. The first is advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET, on how we might manage social distancing in pubs and open them safely, which will be difficult to do, but not impossible. Second, it will depend on the epidemiological data on how we are doing with the virus. We do not have those numbers yet but we plan to make a decision on this issue next Tuesday. I hope it will be a positive decision, but I cannot make that commitment now.