Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has hinted that the 'extra' Bank Holiday in Ireland will come in 2022 - likely to be in either February or March.
The deputy leader of the country was speaking to reporters in Brussels on Thursday.
The extra holiday was floated as a thank-you for frontline workers who kept the country going throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
There had been rumours of a 'Thanksgiving Day' after Fine Gael proposed the idea before the Budget.
But the Fine Gael leader believes it'll come a bit after that.
When asked about when the Bank Holiday will likely be, Mr Varadkar said: “It’s still under consideration.
“I think it’s fair to say it’s not going to be this year because the pandemic is still raging.
“I think we have this additional public holiday we’ll have to give people notice so they can organise their shift patterns, book a weekend away, whatever they want to do.
“What’s still under consideration is February or a double bank holiday in March but no decision has been made on that.”
Varadkar has indicated the private security authority may have a role in checking Covid certs at pubs and nightclubs.
He noted the Government is examining if security agencies can play a role in checking vaccine passes.
He said: “We’re looking at a number of options there obviously the Gardaí can be involved because it is a criminal offence not to enforce the pass system and we’re looking at involving the private security agency as well because they’re involved in regulating bouncers and people at the door..they might be part of the solution as well.
“But really what I would say to the industry is you’ve been closed for five, six hundred days.
“We want you to stay open.
“The best way to do that is by running a good house and enforcing the Covid pass."
