Taoiseach Michael Martin has confirmed Ireland’s summer reopening plan with indoor pints, holidays and large events in the coming months.
The country is set for a good summer as restrictions continue to ease, giving signs of normality resuming as the vaccination rollout continues.
Addressing the nation this evening, Mr Martin confirmed that pubs and restaurants will be allowed to open indoors from July 5.
Restrictions on international travel may be lifted from July 19, allowing the return of sun holidays and sports fans will be allowed to attend match fixtures from July - but this is dependent on the Covid situation.
Cinemas and gyms will also be allowed to reopen from June 7.
The government confirmed: "Today the government decided to move ahead with the next stage of reopening the economy and society in line with Resilience and Recovery: The Path Ahead plan.
"Thanks to the extraordinary efforts and support of the Irish people, the government’s plan on the easing of restrictions is working. Society and the economy are recovering slowly and steadily. To maintain our momentum, we need to continue to follow the public health guidelines in these coming weeks. Practising those individual everyday measures is what will secure Ireland’s recovery from the pandemic.
"The vaccination programme continues to make significant progress and we are now in a position to lift a number of public health restrictions during June. Plans for further easing of measures over the summer, subject to prevailing public health advice, have also been set out.
"The decision is based on advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), that a cautious and phased reopening continues, with a continuing emphasis on outdoor activity, and sufficient time between phases to assess the impact and ensure that progress in controlling the virus is maintained."
Key dates
June 2
- Accommodation services (hotels, B&Bs, hostels and self-catering) can reopen.
June 7
- You can have visitors from 1 other household inside your home for unvaccinated households.
25 people can attend a wedding celebration or reception.
Gyms, swimming pools, leisure centres can reopen for individual training only.
Maximum of 100 attendees for the majority of venues. Maximum of 200 for outdoor venues with a minimum accredited capacity of 5,000.
Outdoor services can reopen.
July 5
Indoor pub and restaurant services can resume.
You can have visitors from up to 3 other households inside your home.
July 19
- Ireland may adopt green cert.
You can follow all the latest updates on our live blog here.
The news means long-awaited holidays will be possible this summer as people fly to sunny destinations for some much-needed breaks.
Families who have not seen each other since the beginning of the pandemic will finally be reunited for a catch-up.
Ireland will adopt the new EU Digital Green Cert rules that will allow people to travel freely within Europe.
Using a QR code, the Green Cert will provide digital proof that a person has been vaccinated against Covid, received a negative test result or has recovered from Covid.
American tourists will also be allowed to visit Ireland as the US will be included as a "partner" country.
This will bring a vital boost to the tourism sector as the country gets back on its feet.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said earlier today: "I think that if Cabinet agree today broadly to the proposals (it did) we are opening at a pace that is beyond most people’s expectations.
“Why are we able to do that, why is NPHET recommending that we can do that?
“It’s really because the public health measures we have in place have worked, are working, and that’s only because people are still sticking with them.
He added: “The latest data we have from the taskforce on the uptake of the vaccine for the different age cohorts as we move through them is really, really encouraging.
“We’re seeing uptake rates in the older cohorts of 97%, 98%, and then as we move down to the 60s, the 50s, to the 40s, again, we’re seeing a big, big demand for these vaccines.
“So first of all, people are taking the vaccines, which is fantastic, and secondly, the level of impact from them is astonishing.”
With the continued rollout of vaccination programmes worldwide, people can look forward to the restoration of normality.
