“If you are opening up society, what is the difference between a pub and a hotel?"
Sinn Féin's Tourism Spokesperson Imelda Munster has criticised the Government over the indoor dining time limit which could be introduced under guidelines soon to be released by Fáilte Ireland.
Restaurants will need to stick to a maximum of six adults and nine children per table when they reopen, under new guidelines issued by
Fáilte Ireland today.
Pubs and restaurants will also need to close by 11.30 pm and no live music will be allowed under the new guidelines.
A time limit of 105 minutes will also apply to indoor dining in cases where a two-metre social distancing of tables cannot be maintained. There will be no time limit for outdoor tables.
Speaking on
Newstalk Breakfast this morning, the Sinn Féin TD said there is “no logic" to the time limits, adding that we are in a "completely different situation" as opposed to last year.
“I would be against this time limit for the simple reason that we are in a completely different situation than we were this time last year,” she said.
“Last year, it was justified because no one was vaccinated whatsoever.
“We are in a different place than we were last year. Last year, there was no one vaccinated."
Munster also said that there is no difference between a pub and a hotel as indoor dining will reopen for patrons of hotels as of 2 June.
“If you are opening up society, what is the difference between a pub and a hotel? If you can go into a hotel from 2 June and sit down and have a few drinks with no time limit what is the difference with having a pub or a restaurant right next door to that hotel and they having a time limit?
“There is no logic to it whatsoever.”
