It said the curfew will put “tens of thousands” out of work.
The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) has called the decision by Government to implement an 8pm curfew for pubs and restaurants from midnight on Sunday night as “closure in camouflage”.
On Friday evening, Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced a handful of new restrictions following advice from NPHET designed to curb the spread of Covid-19 in light of the new Omicron variant.
It had been reported earlier on Friday that a potential 5pm curfew for hospitality was on the cards after advice from NPHET.
However, Cabinet later agreed to implement the later 8pm curfew, with the new restrictions to remain in effect until 30 January.
The 8pm shutdown for pubs and restaurants does not apply to takeaways or delivery services.
In a statement following the announcement, the LVA said that most pubs will now be unable to “viably operate” in that timeframe and will now have to close anyway, putting tens of thousands out of work.
It also questioned how NPHET’s 5pm curfew recommendation and the announced 8pm curfew were decided upon, describing them both as “arbitrary”.
“Obviously we are very disappointed about this decision as it clearly amounts to closure in camouflage,” Chief Executive of the LVA Donall O’Keeffe said.
“Most of our members will now take the decision to shut their doors as they simply won’t be able to afford operating in these conditions.
“Many pubs have been expressing the view that they would rather be asked to close than have to accept an arbitrary curfew of 5pm or 8pm.
“Obviously though that would then represent an official lockdown of our sector and for some reason neither NPHET nor the Government are willing to be upfront about what this means.
“Instead they get a bargain basement lockdown, where it’s the employees, the pubs, the restaurants and all their various suppliers that will really pay the price.”
O’Keeffe said “immediate and comprehensive supports” now need to be put in place for the sector.
This decision amounts to closure in camouflage. Many members will now shut their doors as they simply won’t be able to afford to operate. Many pubs have been expressing the view that they would rather be asked to close than have to accept this curfew https://t.co/BdzmQNuDZs
— LVA (@LVADublinPubs) December 17, 2021
“We also seem to be heading towards ongoing, rolling closures of hospitality for as long as the pandemic persists,” he added.
“If that’s going to be the case then the Government should be upfront and tell it straight to the industry.
“If that’s not what they want then a plan of practical measures such as ventilation standards that will allow our industry to function while Covid-19 and its many variants are still an active part of our lives has to be developed.
“We can’t stay closed indefinitely, yet that increasingly seems to be the Government’s approach to our sector. We need a realistic long-term plan.”
Meanwhile, the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) called the new curfew a “final gut punch” for the hospitality sector.
It also said the 8pm closing time “makes little sense”, claiming that it will lead to pubs closing their doors for the duration of restrictions.
“We need to see comprehensive supports this weekend, it’s the least the trade expects,” its Chief Executive Padraig Cribben stated.
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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