Taoiseach Micheál Martin has poured cold water on publicans' demands to allow indoor dining and drinking on July 1.
He said the next phase of reopening across June and July will be “cautious” and said the government is “conscious” of the Indian variant.
Publicans have been calling on the government to allow them to reopen on July 1 at the latest after 15 months of being shut.
Indoor dining resumed in Northern Ireland on Monday and publicans here have said given the success of the vaccine roll-out, they should be permitted to reopen at the start of July at the latest.
Mr Martin confirmed hotels and guesthouses will be reopening on June 2 and outdoor dining will be permitted from June 7.
However, when asked about indoor dining and allowing publicans to welcome customers back inside from July 1, he said he wanted to see what impact the reopening of hotels and outdoor dining would have on the virus “during July".
He said it will be a “gradual reopening” like what has happened with retail, signalling that it could be mid-July when indoor dining is allowed.
e said: “For the summer, outdoor is best, bottom line. Indoor has been challenging at best from the get-go.”
He said he thinks “people just need to hold it” while stating that he understands people working in the hospitality and tourism sectors have had a “huge impact” and many people want to get back to work.
Speaking to Claire Byrne on RTE, Mr Martin said “we’ll see how that [reopening of hotels and outdoor dining] impacts on the disease.”
He said “it’s a gradual approach that we will be adopting” and that he will wait and see what happens “during July” before he gives the green light to allowing indoor dining.
He said the “reopening plan so far is working” and that the sectors of society and the economy that have reopened so far “hasn’t resulted in any spikes of significance".
The Taoiseach said during his announcement on Friday following a Cabinet meeting, he will make an outline for what is possible for June or July.
