Restaurant and gastropub partying past 11pm will be banned this Christmas.
And heading out to celebrate late into St Stephen’s night or ring in the New Year are definite non-runners - if the Government hasn’t closed all hospitality by then.
Non-compliance could see gardaí enter the premises to enforce the law.
The Department of Tourism has confirmed to the Irish Mirror that every eatery in the country must have their houses cleared by 11:30pm every night over the holidays.
This means that all food and drink must be served before 11pm, marking an abrupt end to a fun evening for hundreds of thousands of revellers each evening.
It will also be a further nail in the coffin for many businesses who were relying on getting extra cash in the tills this Christmas to try and salvage something from a disastrous year.
The hospitality industry had been lobbying the Government through Minister for Business, Leo Varadkar, and Minister for Tourism, Catherine Martin, to actually get extra opening hours for the Christmas week.
It was hoped, for example, that an amnesty of an extra hour until 12:30 could be approved so that people could ring in the New Year in a restaurant, or spend extra time on St Stephen’s night with friends they mightn’t have seen from one end of the year to another.
But these pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
A spokesman for the Department of Tourism said: “On the 27th of November the Government agreed the approach for easing restrictions, including a phased move to Level 3 nationally, with a number of exceptions in place for the Christmas period.
“The exceptions for the Christmas period are designed to support people to have a meaningful Christmas, albeit different to other years.
“The main objective is to stay safe and keep the COVID-19 numbers down so that we can maintain the lowest possible level of restrictions into the New Year.
“Current regulations provide that relevant premises have to be cleared of all patrons by 11.30pm.
“There are currently no proposals to change this provision.”
It is felt by Government that ‘Covid loves to party’ and that by stopping serving early this could curb the spread of the disease
However, hospitality reps have made the legitimate argument that kicking people out early will only lead to more house parties, which are not controlled environments and could lead to Covid spreading with even greater ease.
Restaurants Association of Ireland chief executive, Adrian Cummins, said: “This is hugely soul destroying for our industry.
“Hospitality is being scapegoated.
“Our engagement shows that NPHET views hospitality in a different way to everybody else.”
He added: “And we've pointed out on numerous occasions that if you close our industry down you will increase house parties, and especially on New Year's Eve.”
