“We’ll have to see all the advice, receive the presentations today and tomorrow and make a decision."
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said that a delay to the 5 July reopening of indoor dining is "not inevitable" as the decision is set to be made by Government on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Varakar said that pub and restaurant owners made a “very reasonable” request to bring the decision forward.
“They have to engage employees, people have to come off PUP, they have to order supplies. So they’ve asked us that we bring the decision forward so we’re going to do that. We will make a decision tomorrow," he said.
“We’ll have to see all the advice, receive the presentations today and tomorrow and make a decision,” he added.
“The one thing though that I can say to everyone, citizens, suppliers, employees, what we want to avoid is having to go backwards.”
When asked whether a delay to indoor dining had been confirmed, Varadkar added: “Not inevitable is correct.”
The National Public Health Emergency Team is to meet today to consider its advice to Government on the continued easing of restrictions on 5 July.
The group are expected to consider a variety of factors including the incidence of Covid-19 in Ireland, hospitalisations, vaccine rollout and the spread of the Delta variant.
