The Government has promised a plan of implementation by 19 July.
As expected, the Government has announced that it will delay the reopening of indoor hospitality which had been planned for 5 July.
Speaking on Tuesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin also said that when it reopens, it will initially be limited to people who have been fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 in the last nine months.
Martin said the Government will devise an implementation plan by 19 July.
He said the decision had been made due to the growing concerns of the prevalence, nature, and risk associated with the Delta variant of Covid-19.
Here’s a look at all the changes announced on Tuesday,
From 5 July:
- Indoor activities: Will not proceed as planned, pending the implementation of a system to verify vaccination or immunity. Government will devise an implementation plan by 19 July.
- Outdoor events: As planned, numbers for organised events can increase to 200 or 500 for stadia or venues with a capacity of over 5,000.
- Weddings: As an exception, weddings already planned will be permitted to proceed on the basis of the expected changes, with 50 guests permitted to attend wedding receptions with protective measures.
- Vaccine and recovery bonus: No limit on number of people who can visit together if they are all fully protected by vaccination or have recovered from Covid-19 infection in the previous nine months.
From 19 July (subject to the public health situation at the time):
- International travel: Current government advice is to avoid non-essential international travel. Depending on the prevailing public health situation at the time, Ireland will operate the EU Digital Covid Certificate (DCC) for travel originating within the EU/EEA.
The decision has been heavily criticised by the The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) who said the way the Government has dealt with pubs over the past 15 months is shocking.
“The idea that only allowing the fully vaccinated into hospitality venues is highly problematic and probably unworkable for a number of reasons, not least how do publicans and their staff police such a policy,” Padraig Cribben, VFI Chief Executive, said.
“Government has consistently stated it would not introduce this type of measure so for it now to change course has left the pub trade reeling.
“There is confusion and overwhelming anger among our members as to how pubs in the North can open safely for indoor trading since 24 May while the UK Government is removing all restrictions in the next three weeks stating that ‘we must learn to live with Covid’.
“Why are we taking such a markedly different, more conservative, approach?”
He added: “So many reopenings postponed or delayed and now this unworkable plan that will create a two-tier society that can only lead to animosity towards publicans and their staff, who are effectively being asked to become agents of the state.”
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