The Taoiseach has addressed the nation.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has confirmed that pubs and restaurants must shut their doors from 8pm from midnight on Sunday night as part of new restrictions to tackle Covid-19.
The Taoiseach made the announcement following advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) designed to curb the spread of the virus in light of the new Omicron variant.
On top of pubs and restaurants, the 8pm shutdown will also apply to indoor sporting, theatre and cultural gatherings – including cinemas.
Other new restrictions include crowd capacity to be cut by 50% or to 1,000 people for indoor events prior to 8pm and by 50% or to 5,000 people for outdoor events.
Wedding receptions, meanwhile, are allowed to take place after 8pm but must be limited to 100 guests.
Restricted movement advice for all close contacts will also be enhanced.
“For those who have received a booster at least one week ago, they will have to restrict movement for five days and take three antigen tests,” the Taoiseach explained.
“For those that have not yet received a booster they must restrict their movement for 10 days. The HSE will consider the best testing regime for people in this category.”
Also, all passengers arriving in Ireland are now advised to conduct antigen testing on a daily basis for a period of five consecutive days, commencing on the day of arrival.
Meanwhile, current limitations on household visits are to be unaffected.
At present, people from as many as three households can gather in a fourth household.
The 8pm shutdown for pubs and restaurants does not apply to takeaways or delivery services.
It had been reported earlier on Friday that a potential 5pm curfew for hospitality was on the cards following advice from NPHET.
However, Cabinet later agreed to implement the later 8pm curfew, with the new restrictions to remain in effect until 30 January.
In his address announcing the new restrictions, the Taoiseach said Ireland was going to see a “massive rise in infections” on account of the Omicron variant.
“The challenge we face, as a Government and a people, is how we slow the rise in infection that is coming and how we prevent it from getting out of control,” Martin stated.
“Left unchecked, this new strain will represent a very significant threat to hospital and critical care, but also a threat to all of society and the economy.
“It spreads so aggressively, throughout all age groups, that we are likely to see infections at a rate that is far in excess of anything we have seen to date.”
The Taoiseach said the new restrictions were being introduced to slow the spread of the Omicron variant as the population is administered booster vaccines.
“Everything that can be done to get [boosters] into people’s arms is being done,” he added.
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