Government officials presented six reopening scenarios to representatives of the hospitality industry during a high-level meeting today.
Sources have told the Irish Mirror that indoor hospitality could reopen for fully vaccinated people first and subsequently for people who have recovered from Covid-19.
The lag between the two is due to when people will have proof that they have recovered from the disease within the last nine months.
The Irish Mirror understands indoor hospitality will likely reopen with a combination of option two and three as this is in line with public health advice given by NPHET.
Here are the six options put on the table to hospitality chiefs today:
- Stay closed until September
Open for fully vaccinated people
Open for fully vaccinated people plus those who have recovered from Covid
Open for fully vaccinated, recovered plus negative PCR tests
Open for vaccinated, recovered, negative PCR or negative antigen test
Open on the same basis as hotels but this may not be permitted until September or October
A memo is expected to go to Cabinet next Tuesday and legislation will be needed for the policy that is accepted, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.
It’s understood the hospitality industry will push for a sunset clause - a provision of a law that it will automatically be terminated after a fixed period.
The hospitality industry wants the law to be terminated once 80% of the population is vaccinated.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said legislation needed to go before Cabinet on Tuesday will be “fine tuned” over the weekend.
Pubs are pushing to reopen on July 19 and have said “if the political will is there to make it happen then it will happen.”
The VFI said: “While six options will be presented to the Government, most of the discussions focused on devising a system that allows only vaccinated people and those recovered from Covid indoors.
“Hospitality representatives were informed that primary legislation and regulations will be required to allow pubs to operate indoors in certain circumstances.”
The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) has said they believe they have no option but to go along with the Government proposals for permitting indoor hospitality.
Speaking following the latest discussions between Government and the hospitality sector, the LVA has said the choices came down to keeping hospitality closed for several more months or proceeding with a hugely challenging system.
LVA Chief Executive Donall O’Keeffe said: “We don’t like this approach and we don’t want it.
“We feel it is deeply problematic on a practical level.
"But when the choice comes down to this proposal or staying closed for several more months, we feel we have no option but to go along with it."
