Workers could be looking forward to a free day off when the coronavirus is gone.
Proposals to declare an extra bank holiday when the lockdown is lifted are being considered by the Government.
Minister for Tourism, Brendan Griffin, said in the Dáil on Wednesday that it was a good idea that could provide a much-needed boost to the tourism and hospitality sectors later in the year.
Mr Griffin was speaking during an emergency Dáil session on the coronavirus.
During questions on his tourism portfolio, Mr Griffin said he was open to an extra holiday.
Two cherished bank holidays at Easter and last weekend have come and gone since lockdown began.
And it’s likely that not many will be able to enjoy the next bank holiday at the start of next month as the country remains in partial lockdown.
Mr Griffin believes a bonus bank holiday could be a boon for tourism, and he is also open to a VAT amnesty for the sector for the year.
He said: “Personally for a long time I've felt that, coming form a country that's so dependent on tourism, that an additional bank holiday - either at the earlier part of the year, or the tail end of the year - would be very helpful.
"I see the economic benefits that come [with it].
"Probably at the tail end - because with Easter and St Patrick's Day... we have a lot of them there together in the early part of the year".
Minister Griffin also said tourism is one of the most directly-affected sectors of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said: "With international aviation at a virtual standstill, the closure of tourism sites and a ban on public gatherings, the impact of COVID-19 on global tourism is overwhelming and immediate.
"In the space of a few short weeks, the Irish tourism and hospitality industry has been decimated."
Mr Griffin added on the VAT idea: “This is something I think is very necessary to give us a fighting chance to recover as quickly as possible and to take on the huge competition there is internationally.
“It is only when you go to places like the world travel market in London or the ITB in Berlin that you see the huge number of exhibitors that are there from all over the world.
“You realise how competitive it is for Ireland but also how well we do for tourism as we attract close to 11 million tourists per year.”
