Taoiseach Micheal Martin is due to give a “comprehensive statement” on the future of reopening Ireland in an announcement on Friday.
So far we’ve seen non-essential retail and personal services reopened and next week hospitality and leisure sectors will open their doors at last.
With more to come, Ireland is anxiously awaiting further information on when we can expect to be back to normal. Here’s what we know so far today:
Pubs and restaurants
The biggest news on Covid restrictions has been Fáilte Ireland’s publishing of guidelines this morning that lay out new rules for indoor dining and drinking, which is likely to resume mid-July.
No live music and an 11.30pm curfew will be in place for both indoor and outdoor dining.
A 105-minute time limit has been announced for indoor seating, socially distanced a metre apart.
Good news is that premises that can accommodate two metre social distancing don’t have to enforce a time limit, and there will be no time limit for outdoor dining or drinking which is to come back on June 7.
Tables for both indoor and outdoor seating can have six adults or teenagers - children don’t count towards the six.
It’s also table service only and multiple tables cannot be booked by customers.
Hotels
From June 2, hotels and B&Bs are back open to guests and will allow indoor dining a month before independent restaurants can.
Similar rules will apply for indoor dining in hotel restaurants, but with no mention of time limits.
Sinn Féin spokesperson Imelda Munster went on-air this morning with Newstalk Breakfast and asked, “what is the difference between a pub and a hotel?,” she asked,
“If you can go into a hotel from June 2nd and sit down and have a few drinks with no time limit what is the difference with having a pub or a restaurant right next door to that hotel and they having a time limit?”
While CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland Adrian Cummins welcomed the guidelines saying they “prove that there is now a difference between a hotel restaurant and a standalone restaurant.”
International Travel
There hasn’t been much more information given today on when we can expect to travel internationally again.
The latest update is that there has apparently been some debate in Government over when to introduce the coveted green certificate that will allow us travel freely throughout the EU.
While earlier reports said the Irish Government wouldn’t be introducing the green pass scheme until August, we may actually expect it from mid-July.
On Monday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said that he hopes Ireland "will be able to benefit from removing restrictions on international travel" at some point in July.
Eamon Ryan, Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, has also said that the skies should be reopened for fully vaccinated people.
We can look forward to seeing if the Taoiseach has any good news for would-be holidaymakers in his announcement on Friday.
Mass gatherings and events
The Taoiseach is also expected to address the trial return of outdoor events and mass gatherings like concerts and sports matches.
Earlier this week Minister for the Arts, Catherine Martin said crowds of up to 5,000 people could be back at gigs from as early as next month.
She revealed more details of the planned return of cultural events and concerts in June.
This could also mean the reopening of cinemas and theatres in the coming weeks.
