The Government announced earlier this month that every pub will be allowed open again on September 21.
Pubs serving food opened in the summer while "wet pubs" have been made wait this extra bit longer.
But with just over a week to go until the big day for thousands of publicans, is it definitely going to happen?
With coronavirus cases soaring there has been extra doubt shed on that opening date particularly for pubs in the capital.
Here's the latest developments from the Government, publicans and NPHET to give an indication of what is being considered.
Dublin pubs at biggest risk of not opening
Last week, acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn warned rising outbreaks in Dublin may put the brakes on pubs reopening there on September 21.
“I think it is possible but we need to monitor the disease very closely, if things stay stable, yeah we can see,” Dr Glynn said last Monday when
asked about a mid-September date for bars to open.
“The next seven days in terms of people’s behaviours is really, really important and we are focused on a couple of counties, Dublin and
Limerick."
And with a further 156 cases in the capital on Sunday this has been put into more serious doubt.
Latest from Taoiseach
Speaking today Micheal Martin told RTE's The Week in Politics: "We will be acting decisively.
"We're also careful that we want to develop a pattern over the next six months because we can't be jumping from week to week in terms of responses either.
"We will afford consultations with the CMO prior to Tuesday but there will be consultations with my colleagues as well in terms of any further decisions that need to be taken."
Update from publicans
The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) slammed “contradictory messaging” from the Government and the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) on the issue of reopening all pubs on Tuesday, September 21.
A spokesperson for the LVA said wet pubs in Dublin “played no role” in the current infection levels and warned that delaying the reopening could push some premises into mortgage default as a mortgage moratorium expires at the end of September.
Donall O’Keeffe, Chief Executive of the LVA said: “If the Government were to further delay the reopening of the non food pubs in Dublin, it would completely destroy any trust publicans have in the Government’s management of this crisis.
“It would fly in the face of the commitments made by Government last week, shatter the value of that Cabinet announcement and would raise the question as to what basis the Government is making its decisions. It would also have the immediate impact of driving many of these businesses into immediate mortgage default.
“The mixed messages coming from NPHET and the Government is really adding to the uncertainty facing the publicans, their staff, suppliers and all the families involved."
When will a decision be made?
It is expected that a decision on pubs will be reached on Tuesday after a Cabinet meeting where NPHET's advice will be taken into account.
