Leo Varadkar has suggested that new indoor dining rules could come into force during the summer.
The Tanaiste was speaking after Failte Ireland published a list of guidelines for both indoor and outdoor dining on Wednesday.
The new rules include a ban on live music, a 105-minute limit and an 11.30pm curfew.
Under the measures it will be a maximum six people aged 13 or over per table - but this limit of six does not include accompanying children aged 12 or younger.
The total combined capacity at a table cannot exceed 15 overall (max. six persons aged 13 and over) for both indoor and outdoor dining.
But if a premises chooses to have two metres social distance, they don’t have to have a 105-minute limit indoors.
And Leo Varadkar has now said that he would try to make a case for the gap between indoor and outdoor dining “as small as possible,” according to Fine Gael sources.
Mr Varadkar also told colleagues at Wednesday’s parliamentary party meeting that the guidelines issued by Fáilte Ireland would not be “the last word,” signalling the rules would be eased further during the summer.
He said that the government’s “aim” is to get the country back to around Level Two on the Living with Covid plan, similar to what was in place last summer.
Mr Varadkar was referring to the five stages of the Living with Covid plan which was released when the country first emerged from lockdown last year.
Sources told the Irish Mirror that the Tanáiste said that Friday’s announcement will try and set out where we’ll be in June and July and really the "aim" is to try and get the country back to around Level Two.
He told the Fine Gael parliamentary party on Wednesday evening that the “epidemiology situation is good.”
He said there will be a number of pilot events across the sporting and musical sector both indoor and outdoors over June and July.
And that a decision will also have to be made on international travel.
A number of Fine Gael TDs said there was a need “to level the playing pitch” with independent restaurants and hotels.
Hotels are permitted to serve residents indoors from June 2, while all indoor dining for independent restaurants is likely not to be permitted until early to mid-July.
There were also calls from some TDs that the further easing of restrictions should be looked at from “a pragmatic point of view” and that NPHET advice should be “passed through the lens of what needs to be done for the country.”
Mr Varadkar also said that following next Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, on June 1, it’s likely an announcement will be made on the future of financial supports such as the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS).
