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INDOOR DINING IN pubs and restaurants has reopened across Ireland, marking a significant step for the hospitality sector.
The guidelines for reopening were signed off by Government late on Sunday night.
Indoor dining is open for the fully vaccinated and those who have had Covid-19 in the last six months.
A maximum of six people over the age of 13 are allowed at each table, however the limit does not include children aged 12 or younger.
The total combined capacity at a table cannot exceed 15.
Bars and restaurants spent the weekend preparing to reopen after draft guidelines were published late on Friday night.
For many pubs ,it will be the first time they have opened since March 2020.
Last-minute changes to the regulations require pubs and restaurants to take the contact details for the lead person at a table.
The proposed guidelines stated that details of every customer were needed for contact tracing.
However, the updated guidelines removed this requirement.
Patrons will be required to produce a copy of a Covid certificate to show they are either fully vaccinated or have recovered from the virus in the last six months.
The EU Digital Covid Certificate (DCC) or the HSE Covid-19 Vaccination Record can be used for proof of vaccination status when entering pubs, restaurants, cafes or food courts.
👇First pint served after 496 days closed! Great to see you Aidan. Thanks so much for the support! #guinnesstime https://t.co/tST4eGitIC
— The Long Hall Pub (@TheLongHallPub) July 26, 2021
There are no time limits on indoor dining but premises must be clear of all customers by 11.30pm.
More than 3,000 pubs reopened on Monday, with 25,000 staff signing off the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and heading back to work.
Mick Ryan, owner of Ha’penny Bridge Inn in Temple Bar welcomed customers indoors for first time since the start of the pandemic.
Mr Ryan, who has owned the Dublin pub for 31 years, said he is struggling to hire staff.
“We can’t get the staff back to work. The PUP (Pandemic Unemployment Payment) is ridiculous. We can’t get the staff back,” he added.
“We can’t get someone on the door checking people in, so we will have to go in and out checking it ourselves.
“We have four staff, but we used to have six.
“We have no cleaners – we can’t get the cleaning contractor back because they have no staff, so we are doing the cleaning ourselves.
“We have been selling drink outside for a few weeks and before that we sold takeaway pints. You have to do something, you can’t sit around every day.
“All the pubs in Temple Bar are struggling for staff, restaurants are struggling for staff. It’s a problem all over the country. People have gone on to do other things and I don’t blame them.
“We have a bar upstairs that we spent 150,000 euro renovating before the lockdown that was never opened.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin urged the public to remain careful in the coming weeks.
“We have made good progress in the last six months in reopening sectors of society, so we want to protect that progress,” he said.
“Even though we are reopening indoor dining, we still have to be very, very careful.
“There’s a Delta variant that is highly transmissible and we have to protect ourselves.
“The ideal scenario is a continued rollout of the vaccination programme, combined with sensible, precautionary behaviour on all our part.
“That’s where we can defeat this virus.”
Padraig Cribben, Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) chief executive, said: “It’s a big day for the trade, especially when you consider some of our members were closed for over 16 months.
“Unfortunately, the new guidelines Government handed down to us will make it very difficult for publicans and staff to manage their indoor businesses.
“Our message to customers is simple: Please work with us as we get used to these new guidelines.”
VFI president Paul Moynihan, who runs his family pub in Donard, Co Wicklow, said: “The reopening of indoor hospitality marks the end of an extremely challenging 16-month period that began on 15 March 2020 when all pubs were instructed to close in the face of the advancing pandemic.
“It’s only fair that pubs with no outdoor space are allowed to reopen. While outdoor trading has been a success for some publicans, reopening indoors gives businesses a chance to make ends meet.”
Meanwhile, more than 5.5 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered across Ireland.
Almost 70% of the population is now fully vaccinated, and almost 80% has received the first of two doses.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said: “A huge thanks to all the vaccinators and the staff in our vaccine centres across the country, as well as the GPs, pharmacists and all involved.”
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Isn’t it fantastic to see the uptake of everyone taking the vaccine to enable us the chance to get back to normal? There is light at the end of the tunnel
@Elaine Phelan: No. It just shows people will conform and do anything without question.
@Dan Skelton: the people who will do anything without question are the people who believe the tin foil hat brigade despite them having no leg to stand on when it comes to scientific fact
@Dan Skelton: Speak for yourself.
@John Black: Difference is, I’m not tinfoil hat. This is straight up discrimination, no two ways about it.
@Dan Skelton: it’s hardly without question. There has been extensive research and clinical trials done regarding these vaccines. The difference is that you trust some random commenters or YouTube videos over peer reviewed scientific research
@Dan Skelton: so you prefer these businesses not to havd any chance of opening up at all. Maybe to never open again if not now?
@Dan Skelton: Christ you would give an aspro a headache
@Dan Skelton: Like the people before us that conformed and sacrificed their lives, dreams and hopes so that you have the freedom to question.
@Dan Skelton: And your basis is what on that remark? You seem to be under the illusion that anyone that got there vaccines will conform and do anything without question just because…
@Dan Skelton: A load of nonsense, if you don’t want to get the vaccine fair enough, don’t blame the pubs or restaurants, tell it to your local politician the next time they come knocking… Discriminations me **** you wouldn’t know the first thing about discrimination if you had any sense of what’s going on around you.
@Dan Skelton: and you’re a Facebook expert I suppose? Get ta phucck.
@Teddy Bear:
I don’t think getting the vaccine itself is conforming. People are allowed to choose whether they take something or not. I’ve read numerous journals on the matter.
The issue is some people are not able to take the vaccine due to health, or other reasons. The younger crowd only got it offered to them like what 2 weeks ago? Half the waitresses/waiters serving you are unvaccinated due to their age. Yet it’s ok for them to put themselves at risk or loose their jobs for saying no to working.
It’s brilliant that businesses are opening and all that. But at what cost? I could go for a meal indoors but my partner couldn’t because she’s not fully vaccinated yet due to the portal only opening for her last week.
COVID passports are the discriminatory part and people are confirming.
@Dan Skelton: No people believe in science and facts.
@Dan Skelton: you kind of undo your assertion that you are not against the vaccine and that it’s purely a “discrimination” issue by calling it an “experimental vaccine” in another comment
Not in any hurry to get a pint or an overpriced burger in a pub or restaurant. Think I’ll wait and see if the vaccine is safe first. That said, best of luck to all the businesses reopening today.
@Shay Redmond.: The vaccines are safe – there have been 100′s of millions of doses administered worldwide.
@Shay Redmond.: Exactly. Nobody forcing you into a bar for pricey grub and pints, stay away save a few quid. You heard the vax are unsafe? Facebook or You Tube was it? Sure look, If they aint safe well done to all countries and health staff around the globe for keeping it hush, Remarkable effort. There’d be no way bars indoors would reopen here, especially with NPHETS stance on gargle plus if there was issues with vax safety. Each to their own.
@Seán Ó Briain: you won’t mind if I don’t take your word for it Sean as I doubt you’re an expert. When I’m satisfied it’s safe I’ll be happy to become vaccinated.
@Gavin Mckenna: Neither actually. Lost a relative recently due to complications from a vaccine. Just doing what I feel is right for me. I am still allowed to do that I believe.
@Shay Redmond.: that’s very sad, I’m sorry for your loss.
@Dave O’Keeffe: Thanks Dave.
@Seán Ó Briain: That doesn’t make it safe.
@Shay Redmond.: people on here want you to conform to their beliefs on what they have been told. Sorry for Yr loss. Value your opinion and carry on.
@Seán Ó Briain: billions even
@Shay Redmond.: Which vaccine?
@Shay Redmond.: That is your prerogative. As long as you don’t cry discrimination, and you accept that until you are comfortable taking the vaccine that it will limit what you will be able to do, then that’s no problem
@Elaine Phelan: I’m happy with that. I’ve never mentioned discrimination. I respect people’s choices and would never assume to pontificate what they do or do not do with their bodies.
@Tom Halpin:
3.89 billion doses administered with over a billion fully vaccinated
Adverse events 0.005%
@Shay Redmond.: I have no issue with that. As long as you don’t cry discrimination, you are wearing a mask inside any shops etc, not socialising or traveling and following the guidelines, that is your prerogative. We are all adults and you are entitled to wait and see what happens. Unfortunately many of the people refusing the vaccine are not so considerate
@Shay Redmond.: You would have probably refused the offer by Branson and Bezos for a free ride going into space.
@Seán Ó Briain: vaccines are very safe
The unvaccinated are very dangerous
@Seán Ó Briain: when the government announces that I can sue Pfizer or any of the others in an Irish court if I suffer an adverse reaction , then I would pay for the vaccine but that won’t happen because they have immunity. So for that reason, I won’t take it for free.
Thanks I’ll stay with the offy
@RJ: you’re right… I was outdoors at pub in Bray Co Wicklow and was charged 25e for bottle wine the exact same bottle was in local supermarket for 5.99e!!!! Vitners Federation of Ireland said there is absolutely noting to stop a pub or restaurant doing this once relevant taxes are paid….crazy!!!
I see that they are breaking the rules already, serving pints at the counter
I will not be supporting any business that discriminates against people who do not wish to take an experimental vaccine.
@Dan Skelton: I’m sure they’ll be fine without you.
@Dan Skelton: I’m glad you got that off your chest. I can recommend a good off-licence.
Trumpafarian antivaxxer ?
@Dan Skelton: Oh no! It’s going to be so boring without you! Ah well……
@Dan Skelton: Awww, is that the sound of consequence for your decisions that you can hear?
@Dan Skelton: very happy to hear you won’t be around
@Dan Skelton: Good, they wont be serving you also and we will have 1 less Muppet in the area… give it over man for Christ sake.
@Dan Skelton: your like trump with your theory’s. It is not experimental. COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. and UK are not experimental and have all completed animal and clinical trials but I suppose you know something we don’t.
@Charles Coughlan: trumpafarian??? You made up that word didn’t you. And guess what? It’s not going to catch on. LOL
Great to see the punters back, that Guinness in the first photo looks just mighty!
Did the government order this weather for today?
Brilliant!!! Grrrrreat to be back
Tell that moaner, if he paid proper wages,he’d have no problem getting staff. Love to see him survive on the wages he pays.
Looking forward to a pint this evening. Great to have them back open.
@GrumpyAulFella: Off to the local tomorrow, got the cert emailed today so happy out, back to normal once again!
Papers please….. I’m vaccinated and all, but this whole indoors for fully vaccinated only is the usual brain dead thinking FF likes to dish out.
What about pregnant women who aren’t 16 weeks in yet or people who have been told not to take the vaccine due to allergic reactions, screw them I guess?
@Adam J: I think they’re likely to avoid pubs and crowds any?
POTUS blaming FB for misinformation… hopefully FB and other social mediz will be held to account.. they blocked accounts last year if u were outside the narrative.. Facebook is and always will be a data mining tool.
@MrJohne: You’re a tool
@MrJohne: can you please get back on the ranch
@MrJohne: this is Ireland
@MrJohne: no such thing as POTUS here
No photos of the unvaccinated sitting out the back in the pishing rain!? Haha
They’ve been calling it indoor dining but it seems that the main focus is indoor drinking
Serving at the counter and no face mask, and they will complain when they are closed down again.
Oh the begrudgery
have your say