Restaurants and cafes could reopen by following social distancing rules under World Health Organisation guidelines, according to the Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI).
These measures would include social distancing among staff and customers, and the use of PPE by staff.
The RAI is seeking guidance from the Department of Health as to whether it would be safe to open its businesses, adhering to WHO safety rules.
Adrian Cummins, head of the RAI, said on Thursday that restaurants will only reopen on advice from the Department of Health.
“If a restaurant did open, they would have to adhere to strict social distancing guidelines,” Mr Cummins told Today with Sean O’Rourke on RTE Radio 1.
“So, for example, they would have a maximum of four people at a table, unless it’s a family unit.
“The tables would have to be within ten metres - that’s three metres by three metres - and the back of one chair to the back of another chair would have to be one metre at least.
“Staff would have to be at least one metre apart during their working day and wear PPE.”
He said that staff would still be able to serve food: “WHO guidelines allow you to go to the table, present the food and walk away. You don’t stay within the vicinity of your customer for more than 10 minutes.”
But social distancing would mean that restaurants would not be able to serve as many people - and so for some it might not be profitable to reopen under these restrictions.
Because of this, Mr Cummins called on the Government to assist owners during this unprecedented time, through reduction in VAT or recapitalisation grants.
Mr Cummins called for action, and new ways of doing business.
He said: “Every business in the country can’t stay closed forever and a day until we find a vaccine for this. We need to find a solution for this.”
