A south Dublin restaurant has been forced to shut its doors for at least two weeks after a member of staff tested positive for COVID-19.
Hartley's restaurant in Dun Laoghaire closed yesterday, August 25 and will have its doors shut until Tuesday, September 8.
The news of the restaurant's sudden closure emerged after customers with future bookings were contacted by the popular spot.
The pro-active approach by the restaurant's owners has seen staff follow self-isolation and contact tracing protocols.
Although sorry for the closure, the restaurant has said it is a "tiny sacrifice" to make to ensure the health and safety of staff and customers.
Restaurant co-owner Julie Shiels told Dublin Live: "Unfortunately due to a member of our staff having tested positive for COVID 19, we have taken the immediate decision to close for a minimum of two weeks from August 25 until Tuesday September 8.
"We are following all necessary protocols regarding self-isolation, testing and contact tracing, and will not re-open until advised it is safe to do so by the Health and Safety Authority.
"Thankfully, the individual concerned is virtually asymptomatic and we are very grateful to the HSE for their testing programme, without which we may never have known. And although we are very sorry to have to close, we consider it a tiny sacrifice to make in the grand scheme of things."
Yesterday it emerged that a Penneys store in Liffey Valley shopping centre had to be deep cleaned after a member of staff tested positive for coronavirus.
The notice to staff, seen by Dublin Live, said that the relevant public health authorities had been notified and the advanced cleaning of the store was being carried out.
The letter also reminds staff to continue to observe social distancing and hand washing guidelines as well as other health and safety measures.
