He said Ireland is “on track” to implement the Covid-19 Digital Certificate by 19 July.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is not going to change their decision on the use of the proposed vaccine pass for indoor dining.
Last week, NPHET said that indoor dining could only resume when there is a “robust, non-reproducible and enforceable” vaccine pass system in place across the country, an idea which has seen massive push back from business owners such as the Vinters Federation of Ireland (VFI) which described the proposal as “unworkable”.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, the Taoiseach said that working out how the advice could work in the reopening process would be “challenging” adding that there now needs to be space for “genuine discussions” between Government officials and the industry.
When asked if the Government was committed to implementing the Covid-19 Digital Certificate by 19 July, he said: “We’re on track”.
Last week, Martin has said that the Government will “need to look at” measures other than the proposed vaccine pass when reopening indoor dining.
The Taoiseach said he is “open to measures” such as ventilation and testing when it comes time to look at the reopening of indoor hospitality.
He said that the other measures would be a pivot from the “robust and enforceable” vaccine pass system suggested by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).
Speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday, Martin said that they have already “been looking” at other possible measures.
“In terms of other measures, I agree, we do need to look at other measures in terms of hospitality, including testing and ventilation – and we have been looking,” he added.
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