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LAST UPDATE | 5 Oct 2020
INDOOR DINING IN pubs and restaurants will be banned across the country under Level 3 restrictions being imposed from tomorrow.
Outdoor seating and service will be allowed outside restaurants, bars and wet pubs.
Pubs that do not serve food outside Dublin will be allowed to open but they will only be able to provide an outdoor service to a maximum of 15 people.
However, ‘wet pubs’ in Dublin will still be banned from opening unlike their counterparts in other counties.
This means that if you are having alcohol in a pub in the capital, you must still purchase food. This is currently the case in Dublin since Level 3 was introduced in the region two weeks ago.
The Cabinet is discussing the latest Covid-19 restrictions, which will be in place for the next three weeks.
Despite a recommendation from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) to move the country into Level 5, the Government rejected the advice.
It emerged this afternoon that Cabinet is expected to put the entire country under Level 3 restrictions.
Level 3 has ‘additional restrictions for indoor dining’.
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) October 5, 2020
In Dublin, only outdoor dining permitted under Level 3.
I understand that will now be the case nationwide for pubs and restaurants
The full Cabinet is currently meeting. The Taoiseach Micheál Martin is expected to make a live public announcement on TV at 9pm this evening.
Adrian Cummins of the Restaurants Association of Ireland said Ireland is the only country in the European Union with a ban on indoor dining
“This means an economic lockdown for restaurants and hospitality businesses across Ireland,” he said, adding that 180,000 hospitality workers will lose their jobs this week.
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Economically crippling the country because they never bothered fixing the health service.
@Alan Lynch: spot on.
@Alan Lynch: you hit the nail right on the head there
@Alan Lynch: nail on the head right there
@Alan Lynch: spot on.
@Alan Lynch: exactly they’ve done F all to address the disgusting thing they call a health service been the same for decades, all parties guilty…now they’re sh!tting themselves because the usual winter overload is on the way never mind anything to do with pandemic and they’ve made zero preparations for any of it!
@Alan Lynch:
if that is true. if they have not expanded the critical care capacity. I mean surely that is criminal incompetence at a level that could not be accepted. tens of billions spent paying barmen and cinema workers etc to stay at home but they forget to increase critical care?? surely not.. nobody coils accept that as OK.
Outdoor?? In October in Ireland?? No thanks.
@Brian Murray: are gyms closed?
@Cian Martin: No there not
@Joe Moore: *they’re
@Cian Martin: No. Unless they bring in ‘extra’ restrictions.
@Cian Martin: No gyms may open for individuals training. So no fitness classes of any kind.
@Cian Martin: no but a couple should be xx
@John Kenny: …ambiguous….is it No! Gyms may open…or…no gyms may open. Not being deliberately picky ,actually want to know.
Why have the level’s when they are making it up as they go along.
Could they not give restaurants that can‘t offer outdoor dining/takeaway a few days notice to use up their stock at least? The outdoor dining thing is a load of BS anyway because what restaurant in Ireland in October can survive on that? Another few hundred thousand back on the PUP, more businesses that will never open their doors again, some after spending thousands to get covid-ready after the lockdown. And wasn’t the whole idea of the levels thing to allow different counties to have different restrictions depending on numbers? That seems to be out the window. But I suppose we are all supposed to be grateful now that we‘re not on level 5. Nice little stunt
@Newto2016: Its a ridiculous, half measure attempt at appeasing the pubs and restaurants. Sitting outside in October. Limited seating, so what do people do, wait in their cars and are told when a free bench opens up?
@Newto2016: indeed nice little stint because that is precisely what it was. A stunt organised and disseminated via the media with zero respect for anybody.
@Isabel Oliveira: stunt
@Newto2016: Look at you coming on here talking all sense & stuff. No room for that here.
180 thousand unemployed due to this measure. Elderly will be stuck at home in rural Ireland not able to go anywhere to socialise or freeze to death outside pubs & restaurants. Nobody will be having a lunch or dinner out because of this.
Most restaurants and pubs have no esplanades. This isn’t even level 3 it’s level 3,9.
All this theatre with NPHET was for this and the same theatre will resume when it comes to opt in the EU travel scheme.
Every little thing that makes life pleasurable is being banned.
@Isabel Oliveira: No consideration for restaurants that could have 1000s of euro worth of fresh produce in stock. You couldn’t make it up.
@Mark Walsh: as per the last time they did it. Absolutely inconsiderate.
How are all these people going to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads especially now that mortgage breaks are over & winter and extra cost of utilities will kick in. The whole government & nphet should be put on reduced PUP for 12 months.
@Isabel Oliveira: Nobody I know or have spoken with wants another lockdown. It means none of us will be able to socialize with families and friends, huge numbers won’t be able to work, it goes on and on. I spent much of my Saturday night/Sunday morning with a Covid patient who unfortunately did not make it. Very few people are not hurting because of this pandemic. For you to describe the current move by government/health bodies as “absolutely inconsiderate” is a most vacuous, petty and ridiculous statement.
99% of Pubs closed so!
What a load of nonsense. Counties with low rates and who have actually brought down their rates of Covid should not be punished the same as the rest and should stay at Level 2
@Sean Dalton: Absolute madness sure!
@Sean Dalton: I agree. Louth has for instance clearly heeded the warnings and they are currently on a downward trajectory and still being lumped with much worse counties like Dublin. Ronan was better with the regional lockdowns, i was genuinely surprised by this i really didnt think the government would go back to national restrictions.
@Pauline Gallagher: must be terrible to be so bitter every comment you make has anti Dublin commentand put a bet on you’ve no problem with trialling to Dublin to shop, when Kildare louth anf offaly locked down didn’t see Dublin people accusing the people and bitching about them, your such a sad do
@Sean Dalton:
Stop being so divisive.. looking for certain counties to be closed more than yours. the whole thing is raving 100% bonkers regardless of which county. making it up as they go along.
@nelliekel: Typical Dub, sneery and insulting. I stated a FACT about Dublin, you cant dispute it! And i havent shopped in Dublin since last christmas, and you know what i came back with? NOTHING! plenty of nice shops in my own town. And a lot cheaper.
@Domhnall O’Sullivan: Awww. all the poor dubliners are sore.
@nelliekel: Go back to school, you cant string a sentence together, DUB.
@Sean Dalton: Couldn’t agree more, if I owned a pub or restaurant in counties with very low rates such as Leitrim, Mayo, Kerry etc., I’d be at my wits end.
@Pauline Gallagher:
No really..! its way more important than that. font you see they have us all like little school children watching each other. ffs!!
honest 100% hand on heart if it was Galway in lockdown and Dublin not or whatever I wouldn’t gloat or say ‘they deserve it’.. nowhere deserves this rubbish. they’re making it up ffs.. we have to learn to live with this thing.
@nelliekel: Louth didn’t lock down. If your going to abuse someone at least get your facts right.
Leo and Tony must be having some laugh at Micheál
Where did this so called wet pub term come from I’ve never heard of it till the lockdown started, Did some special adviser think of it ?
@Dave Byrne: no some eejit. Why is the word id@#t classed as toxic:):)
@Dave Byrne: Cannot stand that term. Is it a pub with no roof or is it that you have to sit outside & have your drink, in the rain & in October. Long Covid, wet pubs etc etc, by the time it’s over we’ll have to do up a whole new dictionary.
@Franny Ando: Put a random fada on so called “toxic” words & it’ll be fine. idíot, see perfect & you’re welcome ;~)
Hse is leaking money because they have way to much admin staff doing hardly any work . A good 100 people could do the job of the 1000s doing mostly nothing or repeat work
At least now the government won’t have to pay out on the “stay and spend” scheme!
No mention of testing! 1000s passing through the airport every day and not 1 test! Until widespread rapid testing is brought in there’ll be no improvement.
Daft altogether. Makes no sence
Very mixed messages about pubs there.
@Paul Power: I’ve read it several times. It seems to imply ALL restaurants will be outdoor dining only? Confusing to say the least.
Like a bad dream!
@Brian Conroy: a wet one if you go to the pub in this weather
No restrictions applying to Meat Plants and Direct Provision centers, you have to ask yourself Why? Wonder if Simon can help with the answer…
It’s great to see the €9 wings in Dublin will still keep you safe outside.
My 2020 diary is going to be a riveting read…
So move the rest of the country to the same restrictions with level 3 like dublin, but only dublin pubs to suffer?? I’m all for locking down but surely be to jeasus it had to be the same across the whole 32 counties?
@Olivia Smith: we can’t control what another state(northern ireland) does in relation to its restrictions.
@barry moore: Did you actually read the whole article? It says wet pubs outside dublin can still operate in outdoor settings of 15, Please explain to me how NI has any relevance to my comment?
@Olivia Smith: I think it was because you mentioned all 32 counties should be operating the same restrictions, but we only have control of the 26 counties in the Republic
@Olivia Smith: Most pubs dont have outdoor seating. The ones that do will probably still not bother opening. Imagine a weekend where you bring in your staff, have all your food and drink ready for opening, and then the heavens open. No customers, sending staff home. Its a joke, it wont work.
@Olivia Smith: pretty simple you want our government to implement our restrictions across the 32 counties. A little geography lesson. The Republic consists of 26 counties. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom has 6 counties meaning there is two separate countries on this island. We can’t implement our restrictions on another state. If you actually looked at my comments you would have seen i said that pubs can open in outdoor settings only about an hour ago.
@Miriam: yeah Sorry, my mistake. But he knew what I ment. Just looking for something to be argumentative about.
@Olivia Smith: I’m happy i could help you this evening. So yes I did read the full article and unlike you I understood it and the fact that we have two countries on this island.
@Pauline Gallagher: Yeas it not ok but I think lives are more important at the min.
@barry moore: Ohh my word you have schooled me. It was a mistake in my part which I have already admitted. So please fuq off. Thanks in advance.
@Olivia Smith: aww. I’m not going anywhere.
@barry moore: No way, really??? That’s a new one on me.
@barry moore: Would you go u to the 6 counties if I paid the petrol?
@Olivia Smith: your grand keep the money and buy a book.
@Olivia Smith: I work in Northern Ireland regularly. I have no problem going, Its a pretty safe place yes there is a minority who wish to cause trouble but your going to get them everywhere on the planet.
The country is going to go bankrupt
We need to get some global warming in Ireland so people can eat outdoors in winter
Only country in EU… More job losses.. Huge losses on stock, what a load of nonsense
A roof over the country please – like the milk market in Limerick! A few people had to have parties and to hell with the rest of us. Thanks for that
We’re 2 miles from the border. Pointless for us when people will head over there for everything that’s closed here.
Eejits …….. The anti-social Holohan propaganda.
Someone please advise!
Can I drive from Limericm to Galway or not (for pleasure)
@willow moon: i travel from Dublin to Limerick every weekend to see my partner .I go by bus and have done all through last lockdown .No gobsxxxte in nphet or this shambles of a government will stop me .Call me irresponsible but iv,e had enough of the lies and waffle being spun every day ,so i say go for it !
Is there any gardening projects that people could do ?
@barry moore: Hun, you had months of lockdown in spring, you shouldn’t stsrt in October with such things
@Vanessa: never to late. Surely people can plan further for next spring and summer.
Government are control freaks
Are the pubs going to close
@Fran O’Keeffe: they can stay open but only serve outside. Considering drinking in public is illegal i cant see that many staying open unfortunately
@barry moore: thanks
Does anybody know when these restrictions begin
@rhino burns: possibly tomorrow midnight. Nothing confirmed yet.
@rhino burns: midnight tonight
@rhino burns: There is an announcement on the 9 news. Says so in the article
Such utter nonsense. Sit 3m away from anyone in a pub is a no-no. Sit closer than that anywhere else = grand.
The description “wet”pubs will be very appropriate now! Hot whiskies all round I think
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