"I don't think it would be right to point at one particular sector."
Culture Minister Catherine Martin has said she believes it is not right at this time to link increasing Covid-19 figures to the reopening of nightclubs two weeks ago.
The Minister was speaking on Wednesday at an event in Dublin to mark channel TG4’s 25th anniversary as 3,174 new cases of the virus were confirmed in Ireland.
The Irish Examiner reports that Martin stated there was no evidence the return of nightclubs and rising case numbers were connected but that a review of the reopening will happen next week as had previously been planned.
https://twitter.com/cathmartingreen/status/1455938654841475072
"I don't think it would be right to point at one particular sector," the Minister said.
"You can see why we put in place, I suppose, the belt and braces approach we did to get the nightclubs reopened, but also the priority is to protect public health.
"We said that there would be a review after three weeks and we will review that and engage with the sector."
As of 8am on Wednesday, 460 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 86 are in intensive care.
56 deaths related to Covid since last Wednesday (27 October) were also confirmed by the Department of Health.
During Wednesday's Department of Health briefing, Professor Philip Nolan said that Irish people need to
scale back on socialising as the rise in new Covid cases continues.
