A last minute reversal on rules for indoor dining were changed for “practical reasons,” Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.
Publicans were left frustrated on Friday after it emerged that public health had requested "out of the blue" that the name and number of every customer would be recorded.
But in an email circulated to restaurants and pub owners late last night, the rule was reversed back to the original plan when indoor dining first reopened at Christmas.
In an email from Fáilte Ireland, business owners were told the final regulations now state that contact tracing is “now only required for the lead person at a table and for solo guests.”
Speaking in Kinsale this morning as around 180,000 people went back to work, Mr Martin said businesses had to reopen in a practical way.
He said: “I mean the various government departments with different responsibilities [were] working on these over the period, in collaboration with the sector.
“I think the reason is for practical reasons, to try and facilitate as smooth an opening of the facilities as we possibly can, to do in a practical way.
“Again, trusting the sector and trusting individuals in terms of consumers to approach this sensibly and with some degree of vigilance.”
The Taoiseach warned the public that the Delta variant is “highly transmissible” and said we can “defeat the virus” with a combined approach to “ sensible, precautionary behaviour” and with the roll-out of the vaccination programme.
He said the government’s intention is “not to go back” when asked if indoor dining could be shut again is Covid-19 case numbers spike.
He said: “We've opened up societies slowly and cautiously, with a view to maintaining that and not having to go back and so that our intention is not to go back.
“That said, we have been very agile throughout the pandemic.. we've had to make different rules at different times.”
The Fianna Fáil leader said the government is “fully committed” to the reopening of schools despite Dr Tony Holohan expressing concern that the Delta variant could have an impact on their reopening.
Mr Martin pleaded with young people to get their vaccine stating “please take the opportunity of getting vaccinated.”
He said: “If you take up the vaccine, you protect yourself, your family, your neighbourhood, so it's very, very important.
“Very shortly we'll be opening up the portal for 16 to 18 year olds, and we would appeal to those age cohorts to take the opportunity of getting your vaccine that will help everybody to feed [the virus].”
