Pubs will be allowed to reopen with table service only from 29 June, it has been confirmed.
Speaking on Friday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that pubs which can operate as though they are restaurants, with table service and adequate social distancing, will be allowed reopen at the end of the month.
He confirmed that there would be no sitting or standing around at bars, but said the pubs would not require a restaurant licence to reopen.
Detailed guidance will be published next week for the reopening of hotels, bars and restaurants.
Varadkar said he would like to see a greater utilisation of outdoor areas for pubs and restaurants as the risk of transmission of the virus outside is much lower, but admitted this would depend on local authorities and the weather.
“Local authorities have to take other things into account as well,” Varadkar said.
“We don’t want to make pavements so narrow that people cannot adequately social distance.”
He added that people with different needs also require the pavements to safely move around.
Some other restrictions that were planned to be lifted later in the summer have been moved forward to Phase Two on Monday.
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.
More information on the easing of restrictions is available here.
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