Micheál Martin has given a glimmer of hope that pubs could still open for all on July 19.
The Taoiseach said the Government was going into negotiations with the hospitality sector representatives with “an open mind” with regards to reopening plans.
Mr Martin added: “our minds are not closed in terms of how we do this”.
The Taoiseach also said that the argument over whether Cabinet ministers were aware of new advice from NIAC allowing AstraZeneca jabs to be used in Under 40s “made no difference” to the Government decisions.
And he said that NPHET’s advice might not be followed to the letter of the law in future because the Government has to find a practical way to “operationalise” the advice.
The promise to open hospitality indoors again on July 5 was scrapped this week amid furious anger from the hospitality and tourism sectors.
The latest hopes from Government are that bars and restaurants could reopen indoors from July 19th - but only for fully vaccinated people.
Publicans are vehemently opposed to this plan, saying it is unworkable and some have even threatened to stay shuttered rather than discriminate against their customers.
A special working group, including reps of the various hospitality groups, hoteliers, publicans and restaurateurs, has been established by the Government to find a solution.
It will meet on Monday for the first time.
But in the meantime, the Taoiseach has said he is open to whatever ideas come out of the consultations - including potentially a reopening for all on Monday July 19.
The direct question asked of the Taoiseach by Gavan Reilly of Virgin Media News today was: “The Tánaiste (Leo Varadkar) last night told his parliamentary party meeting, this is only the way we’re hearing it back secondhand obviously, but that the decision to pause the reopening would be reassessed before July 19 and that seems to be wording that reopens the prospect that there might be a reopening, and not just for the vaccinated.
“So is that still a prospect in your mind, or is that now completely off the table, reopening hospitality for all and not just the completely vaccinated, is that completely off the table?”
Micheál Martin replied directly: “I’m in agreement with the Tánaiste in terms of how we’re going to approach this….. in terms of our meeting with the industry and how we’re going to proceed now.
“So, we said we’d go into these meetings with the working group with an open mind, ok, so, that is the position.
“Our minds are not closed in terms of how we do this and the various mechanisms and pillars that we could use to safely reopen hospitality in consultation with the sector itself.”
Mr Martin also indicated that the Government might not follow NPHET advice to the letter of the law.
He said the Government takes public health advice, but then has to “operationalise” it.
NPHET boss and Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, is vehemently opposed to antigen testing as a way of checking people for Covid in group settings.
However, the Government is believed to be considering the rapid tests as a possible way of getting everyone back inside bars and restaurants sooner rather than later.
Mr Martin said: “Sometimes we don’t like the (NPHET) message, we as a society, because that is the nature of the relationship between public health advice and how we live our lives because it can jar sometimes.
“We want to get on and do things.
“Public health advice is saying our advice is if you do that, this is what will happen.
“But, we have to now operationalise that advice and we have to work with industry to see the best way we can do that because we do accept that the pandemic has had a devastating effect on the industry.
“It’s suffered enormously over the lifetime of the pandemic.”
