The Cabinet is set to meet today to discuss a specific date for the return of indoor dining and drinking after the original date of July 5 was postponed due to fears over the Delta variant.
Aside from providing a specific date for businesses to reopen, it's understood that rules governing the space that must be maintained between tables and a possible time limit for customers will also be agreed upon.
What's on the agenda and what's set to change?
The Government is aiming to have legislation allowing vaccinated people to eat and drink inside bars and restaurants, passed by the Dáil and Seanad before the end of this week.
The new legislation will also allow those who have recently recovered from Covid-19 to enter bars and restaurants.
Those aged under 18 can also enter bars and restaurants if they are accompanied by vaccinated parents or another person who has received all their jabs.
Under the new system, proof of vaccination will be required and this can be done through downloading an app with a QR (quick response) code or in paper form.
Those who have had vaccines in the North, Britain and the US will be allowed entry into bars and restaurants if they have genuine proof of vaccination.
It is also believed that the new laws will allow antigen testing to be used in the hospitality sector later in the summer and during the autumn.
It is reported that 'the industry expects that there will be a time limit of one hour 45 minutes, along with a requirement to have tables one metre apart, in the guidelines that will be issued,' however, nothing official has been confirmed yet.
The bill will also provide details about how hotels can cater for non-residents under this new system.
The bill will amend the 1947 Public Health Act and provided it clears the Houses of Oireachtas, it is expected the President could sign the legislation sometime during the week beginning Monday, 19 July and before Friday, 23 July.
When are the new rule set to be introduced?
The entire hospitality sector could be back in business as early as Monday week (July 19th) if the new laws are rushed through the Dail this week.
The Bill allowing the reopening is expected to be passed in the Seanad next Friday and from there it will go to the President to be signed into law.
Once President Michael D Higgins puts his name to it, most likely next Monday, the new system will come into operation and the pubs and restaurants can start to reopen.
What have Ministers said?
Tànaiste Leo Varadkar has said that he's optimistic the new measures can be in place for July 26.
Speaking on Friday, Mr Varadkar said the industry has told the Government it wants to reopen as soon as possible and added it would be July 19 at the earliest and July 26, the latest, before the green light was given.
Mr Varadkar said he thinks fresh legislation could be enacted before July 26 and a date between July 19 and July 26 is likely.
He told the Irish Mirror: “We haven’t agreed to a date yet so the plan is to bring the proposal to Cabinet on Tuesday, that will enable us to open indoor hospitality in line with NPHET guidance.
“That obviously has to get through the Dail, has to get through the Seanad and we have to ask the President to sign it and we have to do some regulations too.
“Probably some day in between July 19 and 26 so July 19 at the earliest, July 26 at the latest.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has confirmed that an official plan will be in place by July 19, however, he was non-committal when asked if this will be the day that patrons are allowed back indoors.
Education Minister Norma Foley told RTE's The Week In Politics: "There is a huge commitment from all parties, everyone is working together with a focus to reopening as soon as we possibly can, in terms of indoor hospitality.
"I am very heartened to see such collective engagement by all to ensure this will happen and I am very confident from a legislation point of view that support will be forthcoming."
What have businesses said?
The Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) has welcomed the news that the Cabinet will meet on Monday to sign off on the plans.
The chief executive of the RAI Adrian Cummins told RTE’s This Week programme he hopes to see the sector begin to reopen from next Monday.
He said: “We’re still focused on July 19 reopening and there is talk that that may be moved a couple of days so operational procedures will be rolled out and allow a media campaign to educate consumers and businesses.
“Businesses need time to prepare to reopen in a safe, viable manner. We’ve always said that we’ll follow public health advice and that’s what we’re doing."
Mr Cummins added: “What is being proposed at the moment is a scheme similar to six European countries that have a Corona-19 pass scheme, those being the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Cyprus and Denmark.
“The scheme will link into the European Digital Certificate database and letters and emails are being sent to all those who have had Covid or who have been fully vaccinated this week.
“Once the legislation goes through the Dail the guidelines will be developed with them in parallel so the businesses can get going as soon as possible.
“This isn’t the most ideal solution for our industry but it gives the opportunity to get doors open and we have to work around this.
“We’re in a pandemic and we’re trying to get our industry back up and running.”
Elsewhere, Padraig Cribben, Chief Executive of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland has said: “Our primary goal is to get our members reopened in a safe manner both for publicans, their staff and customers. If a so-called vaccine pass is what’s required then the onus is now on Government to get the legislation passed next week before the Oireachtas takes its summer break.
“There remains legal issues to be resolved but we remain insistent that pubs need to reopen on 19th July. If the political will is there to make it happen then it will happen.”
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