CONFIRMED: Nightclubs to open at 100% capacity, 11.30pm curfew has been removed

The Minister of Tourism announced the three main changes to hospitality from Friday.

The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Culture Catherine Martin confirmed this evening to RTÉ that nightclubs can reopen at 100% capacity from Friday, 22 October. Minister Martin also provided an update on the extended opening hours of bars and clubs, as well as how service will operate from those bars and clubs from Friday. In her statement to the new outlet, Minister Martin announced the following: "We are meeting the stakeholders this evening, and they will be informed that for nightclubs, they will be reopened at 100% capacity. For our live venues, they will be open to a standing area of 1,500 now. So we'll have the standing with the combination of seating." "This is what we're doing to balance public health, but we're also looking at an industry that has been closed since March of last year. So it is addressing the needs of both, so that is why we're putting the capacity limit at 1,500 for live music venues. And we will review this in a number of weeks because we have to be cognisant at all times of the scenarios with the pandemic." "For the hospitality sectors, the officials are meeting with them now as well, and they'll be told that it is multiple tables now. A maximum of 10 adults per table, or 15 with children. "You can go up to the bar in a queued, orderly fashion with social distancing, but you must come back and then sit at your table. And of course the extended hours after 11.30pm. So they are the three main changes for hospitality."