Publican Cathal Sheridan has said that any discussion about the potential return of indoor dining and drinks must include the return of service at pub counters.
At present, any establishments that are open must abide by table service only but Mr Sheridan believes that "bar counter is the most important part of the pub" and that the majority of his patrons will be vaccinated.
Speaking on Virgin Media's Tonight Show, Sheridan said: "We have to get open on July 19, no other date but the 19th will do. The bar counter has to come back into the conversation now as well because all my customers that will be inside the door here will be vaccinated, I'll be vaccinated behind the counter.
"Everyone who's running a traditional pub will tell you that the bar counter is the most important part of the pub. It's different than a gastropub where the kitchen is probably the most important. The bar counter is key, and if everyone's going to be vaccinated, the bar counter conversation has to come back into play," he said.
The publican of Sheridan's Bar in Milltown, Co. Galway believes that the new proposals are " not ideal, but it gets us to a step closer to where we want to be" but reinforced the financial risk that publicans continue to face.
"We have to get open for indoor dining and drinking because the summer is almost gone. Every week we're closed is like a month for most other parts of the year. 10 days of takings during the summer would be the same as the month of November. Every week we're closed is another nail in our coffin," he added.
Tanáiste Leo Varadkar has indicated that indoor hospitality could reopen before July 26.
It’s understood primary legislation will be worked on by government officials over the weekend so it’s ready to be presented to Cabinet on Tuesday.
People who have been fully vaccinated will be allowed to eat and drink indoors and those who have recovered from Covid-19 in the previous nine months will be permitted inside too.
During the conversation on Virgin Media, Mr Sheridan was asked about the anomaly regarding staff members who might not be fully vaccinated yet. Alternatively, the publican was asked his views on families who might want a bite to eat but could be told they can't because they have children with them.
"Staff is an anomaly, some of my staff have been vaccinated and some haven't. I'm fully vaccinated. The younger cohorts have registered. This pandemic has thrown up an awful lot of contradictions, this is another one. The staff issue is definitely one and we have to try and get everybody - including the younger generations - all vaccinated as quickly as possible.
"On families, from talks with the government, I believe that if somebody comes to my door - for example, a mother and a father with three or four children - I'll be able to allow them in...once I know they're all from the one family. That's what we've heard from whispers this afternoon and we thank that government for letting that happen to us," he said.
Mr Varadkar said the hospitality industry has told the government that they are keen to reopen as soon as possible and added it would be July 19 at the earliest and July 26, the latest, before the government could facilitate the reopening of pubs and restaurants for indoor dining.
He said emergency legislation will be needed to adopt the government’s policy on how they can reopen in line with advice given by NPHET.
Varadkar said the legislation will need to be passed through the Dáil and the Seanad before President Michael D Higgins has time to read and sign the bill into law.
The Fine Gael leader said July 19 is a target that the government will try to reach but admitted this would be difficult and that the government could make it happen before July 26.
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.
“We haven't agreed to 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 that for guidance.
“That obviously has to get through the Dáil, 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 someday in between the 19th [July] and 26th so 19th at the earliest, 26th the latest.”
Down in Cork, Taoiseach Micheál Martin was receiving his second Covid-19 vaccine and said no date has been set in stone.
He said Cabinet will decide on a date on Tuesday and acknowledged the hospitality industry has been under “huge pressure.”
He said: “Nothing has been set in stone in terms of a date but we are endeavouring to facilitate the reopening of indoor hospitality in line with the NPHET advice that we have received.
“We want to protect that progress as the delta variant is getting stronger and spreading more and more..
“We’ve increased cases again this evening so I’m conscious of that but we will be facilitating the reopening of indoor dining.
“We said we’d have a plan by July 19 and we will.”
