LAST UPDATE | 29 Aug 2021

MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT and Communication Eamon Ryan has said that public transport will return to 100% capacity from next week, to facilitate the return to schools, colleges, and the possible return to offices.

He said that he thinks masks should still be required on public transport.

The Green Party leader also told RTÉ’s This Week programme that young people were “probably” going to return to offices first to allow for things like training and team events.

“For those offices who haven’t been back in the last year and a half, two years, I think that’s going to be one of the most significant [measures].”

He added that employers would be given “a fair bit of flexibility” in the reopening.

Ryan said that communions and confirmations would return “very quickly” from early September, adding that it was pending Cabinet approval.

“I think September will be a kind of an interregnum period,” Ryan said, adding that as legislation underpinning pandemic restrictions reaches their ‘sunset clauses’, they will not be renewed.

“We can police ourselves now without having to have overly strict structures as we unwind regulations,” he said.

Representatives of the events industry are to meet with Government tomorrow, ahead of an expected announcement by the Taoiseach to lift the remaining Covid-19 restrictions.

Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

The Event Industry Alliance said that it would be meeting with the Government officials tomorrow morning, ahead of an expected Cabinet decision on lifting the final pandemic restrictions on Tuesday – mostly in the events and entertainment sectors.

The Events Industry Alliance has asked the Government not to “compound the hardship” felt by the industry, and will make the following requests to the Government:

• “That an early September reopening date is implemented for those fully vaccinated to attend full capacity indoor and outdoor events. Events must be viable with food and beverage sales a key source of income for our events, which are not funded by the tax payer.
• “Vital industry business and workers supports remain in place and are extended until June 2022, to help allow the sector recover.
• “Meaningful engagement continues with Government, including a schedule of weekly progress and review meetings.”

What’s expected next week

The Cabinet sub-committee on Covid-19 will also meet on Monday, ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. 

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What we know so far about the Covid reopening plan for September and October

On Friday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said of the decision to lift the final restrictions: “We can certainly see a lifting of restrictions in some areas in terms of entertainment and theatre and the arts in September.”

He said that the timeline for the reopening of nightclubs would be “deliberated upon”. The Government is also liaising with the organisers of Electric Picnic over whether the festival can take place this year for those who are fully vaccinated.

Martin did say on Friday that the Government is not considering introducing vaccination certificates for outdoor events – he said that Ireland’s high vaccine uptake rates meant that such documents will not be necessary.

The Taoiseach also confirmed that by Tuesday the Government would have a plan and a roadmap ready for the coming months.

Public-health officials from NPHET have recommended that the Government wait for 90% of people to be vaccinated before contemplating any major easing of restrictions.