Some Irish pubs and restaurants look set to be allowed to reopen ahead of the easing of Level Five lockdown restrictions.
Ireland will exit the current restrictions on December 1, with retail, hairdressers and gyms among the first places to reopen.
However there had been significant concern in the hospitality industry over whether they would be allowed to open their doors again.
And the outlook is bleak for so-called "wet pubs" that don't serve food, as they are very unlikely to be allowed to reopen this year.
But there is some hope for restaurants and gastropubs, as they are likely to be allowed reopen - but it won't be on December 1.
Currently, pub and restaurant owners are getting ready to open their doors next Friday.
This was the latest compromise proposal being hammered out in crunch lockdown talks tonight.
Senior sources from both sides of the negotiations were settling on this as a fair date because it would give food businesses three weekends before Christmas.
A Government Buildings source told the Irish Mirror that there would be no point in leaving it until the following week as this would only allow for two weeks and two weekends’ full trading, after they went to all of the trouble of reopening.
The source said that at least if they are open in time for next Friday, they can get three strong weekends in.
Another factor is that next Friday will also give a decent lead-in time for restaurateurs and food pubs to get their staff and stock organised ahead of business resuming.
However, sources also stressed that while a lot of the heavy lifting has been done by officials, the ultimate decision will still fall to the three leaders of Government, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan.
They are meeting to discuss the recommendations of NPHET before making a decision to present to Cabinet on Friday.
It is accepted now that a range of businesses will be able to open their doors again, including most High Street retail, cinemas, gyms, hairdressers and golf clubs.
But it is coming down to the wire over how and when the hospitality sector will be allowed pull up their shutters again.
The rise in new Covid cases tonight was a blow to hopes they could serve again from next Tuesday.
