We’re sure this will be welcome news to many publicans around the country.
The Cabinet is set to meet today (8 September) to finalise details on the reopening of so-called ‘wet pubs’, which is expected to be later this month.
A number of dates from 14 September onwards are currently being considered for reopening, with wet pubs having been closed since March due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It’s understood that draft Government guidelines, which were created in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland, were recently circulated to vintners associations.
Some of the guidelines include strict table service policy and a ban on counter service. The rules are set to be mostly in conjunction with those brought in for pubs where food is served.
Pubs would also need to record the arrival times of customers as well as details for contact tracing and to ensure groups are no more than six people from three different households.
The news will be a relief to publicans around the country, with 60% of them not serving food and thus forced to close their doors.
Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn has said it is possible that wet pubs could reopen in September but that the Department of Health is monitoring the cases in Ireland, particularly in Dublin and Limerick, with “growing concern”.
“The next seven days are vital, everyone needs to reduce their contacts and assume any person you do meet may be carrying the virus,” Dr Glynn said on Monday.
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