Covid-19 Ireland – Pubs and restaurants can stay open until midnight before the end of the month

PUBS and restaurants can stay open until midnight before the end of the month, it showed up tonight.

Venues under an 8pm curfew hope an emergency meeting on Thursday will relax the rules.

2

2

An NPHET led by Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan has been scheduled for the coming weeks.

And it is believed that the hotel industry has been hit hard which is good news after long weeks of nightly closures due to the spread of the Omicron variant.

The number of people allowed to attend live events and return to the workspace is also noted in the card.

And it is thought that nightclubs could reopen to revelers again before February is over.

MIDNIGHT CURFEW

As speculation is made, RTE reported tonight that a midnight curfew is in place before the 8pm shutdown is set to return.

The latest strategy will be part of a broader approach to living with the pandemic amid growing confidence that the ultimate game is in sight.

The number of cases is decreasing and the number of people in intensive care is stabilizing.

The Irish Restaurant Association’s chief executive Adrian Cummins said the current 8pm curfew was effectively restricting reception.

He called for a phased return to the economy as a whole and said that support such as the full employment wage subsidy scheme would be extended until the end of March.

Speaking earlier on RTE 1 Radio, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said he believes the current restrictions on the hospitality sector will “soon be lifted”.

“We have had very strict restrictions in Ireland for two years now,” he said. ”

He added: “I don’t think that should happen this summer.”

CONCLUDE

Omniplex Cinema Group director Mark Anderson also said that there are there is no basis to continue the 8pm curfew like in a movie theater.

Talking to NewstalkAnderson explains that the curfew means that movie theaters can’t start showing movies later than 5:30 p.m.

“We decided to open up completely to keep that link with staff and the public so we can reopen on the 30th,” he said.

“It was a gamble hoping that these restrictions would end on the 30th and hopefully before that, at least allow us to start filming at 8pm.

“The number of people admitted to the hospital and ICU is not realistic and there is no basis to maintain this 8pm lockdown given the current situation.

“We are trying to retain employees and attract new employees to this industry as a career path.”

He added that Omniplex is still trying to reassure employees that these restrictions will no longer continue and that there will be no open and close cycles, even though “two years have passed”.