After almost two years of Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions, Ireland has taken a major step towards returning to normality.
As of 6am on Saturday, almost all restrictions have been lifted including the curfew for pubs and capacity limits for events.
One of the few rules that remains is the wearing of face masks in certain settings.
Face masks are still required in the following situations:
Public transport
By law, you must wear a face covering when using public transport. This includes in taxis, as well as in bus and rail stations.
Drivers of a public transport vehicle do not have to wear a face covering if they are: Alone in a compartment, separated from passengers by a screen, in the vehicle but there are no passengers getting on or off.
Shops
By law, you must wear a face covering in shops, including pharmacies and shopping centres.
It is also mandatory for retail staff to wear a face covering unless there is a partition or they take all reasonable steps to keep a 2-metre distance from others.
Other indoor settings
Face masks are required in a range of indoor settings, including: Libraries, cinemas and cinema complexes, theatres, concert halls, bingo halls, museums, nail salons, hair salons and barbers, tattoo and piercing parlours, travel agents and tour operators, laundries and dry cleaners, bookmakers, banks, credit unions and post offices, airports and ports, State offices, departments, agencies and local authorities (where there is public access).
Pubs and restaurants
Customers should wear a face covering on their way to and from their table and may be refused entry if they refuse to wear one.
Staff in sit-in restaurants or cafes must wear a face covering unless they are separated by a screen.
Schools
Children in third class and above are recommended to wear a face covering in school and on school transport, unless they are exempt.
Staff and students in secondary school must wear a face covering when it is not possible to keep a physical distance of 2 metres from other people
The mask mandate will remain until it is reviewed at the end of February.
Anyone who doesn’t wear a face covering without a reasonable excuse can be fined €80.
It must be paid within 28 days. If it’s not, the person may be summonsed to court where they can get a fine of up to €1,000, up to one months' imprisonment or both a fine and imprisonment.
The person could be fined more or sent to prison for longer, if it is their second or subsequent offence.
Wearing a visor does not satisfy the legal requirement to wear a face covering as it does not cover your nose and mouth.
