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THE GOVERNMENT HAS confirmed the details of its plans for gradually reopening a number of sectors over the next few months.
The plans cover everything from pilot outdoor live events with hundreds of attendees in June, to the return of international travel and indoor dining in July.
The Taoiseach said Ireland is taking “definite steps towards normal times” and the challenge now is “to keep moving forward safely”.
Let’s take a closer look at the measures set to take effect in the coming months.
The Taoiseach said the government wants to restore international travel in a “safe and sustainable way”.
International travel will be permitted for non-essential reasons from 19 July.
All EU countries will be removed from the mandatory hotel quarantine list at this point.
This is to facilitate the introduction of the Digital Green Certificate, or the EU’s Covid passport.
This will allow those who are fully vaccinated, have produced a negative Covid test result from the previous 72 hours, or who have fully recovered from Covid to travel in the EU.
There will be no restrictions on travel between Northern Ireland and the Republic.
However due to concerns about the coronavirus variant that originated in India (B.1617), Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that there will be restrictions on people travelling from Britain to Ireland.
“There are real concerns about the prevalence of the Indian variant in Britain. It’s now the dominant variant of Britain. Over 50% of cases appear to be this B.1617 variant. That’s something we’re concerned about,” the Tánaiste said.
“For that reason, we’re not in the position to restore the Common Travel Area just yet.”
An emergency brake feature can be applied to EU countries if necessary, the Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said.
This will be applied to countries with emerging variants of concern or variants of interest.
If applied to a country, the government will advise against travelling there.
You can read more details on how the return of non-essential international travel will work here.
From 2 June (next Wednesday), hotels, B&Bs and other accommodation services will reopen.
Outdoor services at pubs and restaurants have been signed off to return from 7 June.
Indoor services in pubs and restaurants can return from 5 July.
Earlier this week, Fáilte Ireland announced its guidelines for the first phase of a partial reopening of hospitality, with plans drawing both support and criticism.
The Tánaiste said it doesn’t make sense to change the “anomaly” of hotels being permitted to serve food and drink indoors while indoor dining is banned elsewhere, for the month-long period of disparity.
From 7 June, a maximum of 100 people can attend organised outdoor events in most venues.
Outdoor venues with a capacity of at least 5,000 can have up to 200 attendees from this date.
This will increase to a maximum of 200 people for most venues from 5 July, and a maximum of 500 for outdoor venues with a capacity of at least 5,000.
In August, the government will consider further increasing the numbers permitted at outdoor and indoor events.
It was reported last night that this could result in up to 5,000 spectators attending outdoor events in large stadiums like Croke Park from August.
A number of pilot outdoor live events will be held in the Phoenix Park and Iveagh Gardens in Dublin, along with other events in counties Limerick and Cork.
On 10 June, an outdoor music event with an audience of 500 is to be piloted in the Iveagh Gardens, followed by an event in the UL Concert Hall Opera on 23 June with 519 attendees.
On 26 June, two fully-seated events are set to take place – an outdoor music festival with 3,600 people in Phoenix Park and another event indoors in the INEC Killarney with 200 people.
The full list of events in June can be found here.
Speaking at a briefing on Friday, Leo Varadkar said that even as restrictions on events and capacity limits ease, there are “difficulties” organisers may face in trying to put events together.
“It does take time to plan for these, to book acts, to get a license and get insurance,” Varadkar said.
The Tánaiste said that “what we will see across the summer maybe is smaller events, not the big ones, but perhaps the 5,000 to 10,000 [attendees] and they might be really nice.
“It maybe won’t be big acts but local acts, and that can be fun.£
Unvaccinated people can have visitors from one other household inside their homes from 7 June.
From 5 July, people can have visitors from up to three other households inside their homes.
Currently, fully vaccinated people can meet indoors with other fully vaccinated people for a total of up to three households.
Fully vaccinated people from a maximum of two households can also meet indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household.
The maximum number of guests at a wedding celebration or reception will increase to 25 from 7 June.
This will increase further to 50 guests on 5 July and 100 in August, subject to the Covid-19 situation at the time.
All of the additional changes in July and August will be dependent on the continued improved situation with the disease.
Gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres can reopen for individual training from 7 June in a measure previously flagged by the government.
Outdoor amusement facilities and theme parks can also reopen from this date, along with drive-in cinemas and drive-in bingo.
Cinemas and theatres can reopen from 7 June.
Public transport should be able to return to full capacity from 2 August, Eamon Ryan said. It is currently at 50% capacity.
25,000 driver theory tests will take place per month from 7 June onwards.
Indoor training, exercise and dance activates can restart from 5 July in pods of up to six.
The advice in terms of working from home is still to do so if possible, the Taoiseach said.
The Tánaiste said people should only attend workplaces if necessary, and it’s believed this will be the advice until September.
However, Varadkar said certain workplace attendance on a staggered basis will be considered in August before schools and colleges return and while public transport is less busy.
There will be a further announcement next week on the government’s plans for pandemic welfare supports.
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There is no restrictions on travel between Britain and Ireland.
The carparks in Belfast airports and Derry airport are full. Guess what. Not all north vehicles. Move on
@Aidan Haughey: maybe you could show us your stats and evidence. Hearsay isn’t really a valid reason.
@Paul Furey: man your on here everyday asking people to produce proof but never produce a bit of proof yourself for your du#b comments
@Liam O Connor: So you don’t have any facts and figures?
@Paul Furey: Pauly. I’ve seen it.
Seen the vehicles in Derry , Enniskillen, Strabane.
Have been in the airport carparks. It’s just a fact. Come out of your Cave
@Paul Furey: Paul you like to think you are superior to everyone who comments on the Journal its really sad
@Paul Furey: says the lad that’s never once produced stats when he’s gone on his own rant or defended the restrictions….oh the irony
@Aidan Haughey: sssshhhh you aren’t allowed say that, some down here think people aren’t doing that and there isn’t any one down south heading north for shopping, nights away or taking a trip to the UK. We have to pretend we are all one big covid cautious family and will only leave when our great leaders deem us worthy in July
July 19th. I believe thats when Fr Ted goes on holidays. What a coincidence
@Paul Chandler: fupping hell
Every pub should open up tomorrow. What can the government do.. Bring every pub owner to court?.
Are they gonna send us pcr tests we can do at home like they have in the uk?
@The Culk: No.
@The Culk: UK is sending lateral flow tests, not the far more reliable PCR tests
@The Culk: that snake oil? Are u mad??
@The Culk: are you joking how would we do that sure its nothing but snake oil according to the drunken like rant on twitter by one of the NPHET mafia…we are only allowed use tests approved by Tony and Co and make sure someone in power is directly or indirectly involved in making money from the contract to provide these PCR tests….its how we do things in Ireland sure
All because of our third world health care system.
Great news about everything opening up this summer.
Just one question – When is summer coming?
@TonyB: Best comment so far!
@TonyB: it’s waiting to get vaccinated
We’re still waiting to hear about partners being able to join their wives in the hospital just prior the labor! Does anybody care about their mental health in this crucial moment? It seems that no one cares because by denying them to be with their wives that’s what you’re doing.
@Francieli Timm Land: No we’re not. That was announced weeks ago. NEPHET / HSE are not stopping it but individual hospitals have the discretion to impose restrictions if they deem it necessary. If you have an issue with a specific hospital take it up them
@Francieli Timm Land: Donnelly did say it was to be allowed and has ordered hospitals to allow partners in, however it seems despite his title as minister for health, his powers don’t seem as good, as individual hospitals seem to be setting their own rules and hse management, are unwilling to push the matter forward. For once NPHET and the government aren’t too blame
Let’s be under no illusion the removing all EU countries from the quarantine list is nothing to do with number of cases or the concern over variants. It’s purely because we have been told to because of EU freedom of movement. Just like the hassle that was seen trying to add EU countries to the quarantine list.
Great for holidays mind!
@Jack Inman: yep an dif it wasn’t for the pushing by the EU we would have dragged our heels until the whole season would have been lost – lets be under no illusions about that either – our management of international travel has been to take extreme measure a year too late and decimate our aviation / and tourism season – thankfully the EU push for covid passports and freedom of movement is there as a stick to force things to move along in ireland – we would be a basket case otherwise
A lot of people are going to have suddenly fully recovered from Corona to go travelling
@⚡ Seánie ⚡: they need medical proof
Any word on driving lessons for non essential workers
Excuse my ignorance but what is to stop me flying to Spain today.
Will airlines check me in in dublin,
Are guards stopping at airport
@Raymond Murphy: You’ll be questioned by Gardai at the airport regarding the purpose of your travel.
No transatlantic tourists this year then
@Liam Morgan: no travelling, to the States from Ireland ?
@Liam Morgan: vaccinated US visitors allowed travel here from July 19th without having to quarantine or show a negative test.
Broken record zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
It’s interesting how all the talk and making work from home a permanent thing and some saying it would be a great benefit to the traffic situation in big cities and obviously the environment with less cars on the road has almost disappeared in the last few weeks. While the advice is to work from home till maybe September, the reality is a lot of people are back working in offices, whether they feel comfortable or not. At the very least it should be explored where people are allowed even the option to do half and half work, with maybe 3 days at home and 2 days in the office or something to that end if they want it.
@Michael Healy: a very good point, work will chang for lots of people from now on, but only a small percentage of people work in offices in this country but that seems to be the beach mark for all news reports,
It was great to hear something positive yesterday, ive got the jab and im so looking forward to my sun holiday in Spain. All the negative trolls can wright what they won’t but it’s been a long hard 18 months to get here, and it’s thanks to people of Ireland like me who stuck to the rules and did there bit.
I’m booking Italy darling of little country like our own if course passport in date till 2024,if they don’t like it they can ask my nana duggan haha,, oxoxoxoxo
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