It is planned to remove domestic travel restrictions completely from 29 June.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has confirmed that the government roadmap to reopen society and business in Ireland will be accelerated from next week.
Speaking on Friday, Varadkar confirmed that the number of phases in the roadmap would be reduced from five to four and that a number of restrictions will be eased earlier than had been anticipated.
Phase 3 will commence on 29 June, while the final phase, Phase 4, will commence on 20 July. It is envisaged that travel restrictions will be lifted completely by Phase 3, while businesses in the tourism and hospitality industry, such as hotels, B&Bs, restaurants and pubs that serve food and can operate table service, will also be allowed to reopen.
Confirming that Phase 2 of the government roadmap will go ahead as planned on Monday (8 June), Varadkar confirmed that the easing of a number of restrictions that had been planned for later this summer will come into effect from next week.
These include:
- Members of the public will be allowed to travel anywhere within their own county, or within 20km of their own homes, whichever distance is greater.
- Members of the public will be able to congregate in groups of six, indoors or outdoors, as long as social distancing is observed.
- Elite athletes will be permitted to use their training facilities.
- Groups of up to 15 people will be able to participate in outdoor sporting activities.
- People over 70 years of age or at-risk groups will be allowed to welcome a small number of visitors into their homes.
- Up to 25 people will be able to include funerals or memorial services for loved ones.
- Outdoor facilities for children, including playgrounds, will be allowed to reopen, while summer camps for post-primary children will be permitted to take place for groups of no more than 15 people.
- All shops will be allowed to reopen, but will be required to operate staggered hours and open no earlier than 10.30am.
- Marts will be allowed to reopen.
Commenting on the measures announced on Friday, Varadkar said: “Summer is not lost and this can be a summer of hope if we can keep the virus at bay.”
More information on the easing of restrictions from 8 June is available here.
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