Stephen Donnelly has warned that hospitality restrictions could be reintroduced this winter.
This could see restaurants and pubs shuttered for Christmas again if Covid worsens again.
The Minister for Health was speaking in the Dail on Wednesday afternoon seeking TDs’ approval to extend “the legal framework” to bring back restrictions if Covid doesn’t go away.
October 22 is the date that the whole country is looking forward to as it should see the last of the Covid lockdown restrictions being lifted, but Mr Donnelly has now revealed that this cannot be guaranteed.
Many TDs were shocked to hear Mr Donnelly say that while a return to lockdown is “unlikely,” it “cannot be fully ruled out”.
The Minister said that is why he is proposing to extend the date that the legislation governing hospitality lockdown is due to lapse out to January 9, 2022.
He said it was a “safety net” just in case things go wrong again.
Mr Donnelly said the Government “intends” to lift the final restrictions on October 22 as promised, but he warned bringing back measures “cannot be ruled out.”
He said: “The Health Amendment Act (No. 2) 2021 is being proposed for continuance for a period of three months, without any regulations being imposed providing for restrictions on indoor hospitality.
“The continuance in operation is solely to align with public health advice, with the possibility of the reintroduction of any given measure cannot be ruled out at this point in order to enable us to respond to the disease.”
