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Publicans in Dublin urge government to 'stick with its decision' on 21 September re-opening date

The Licenced Vintners Association said today that publicans in Dublin and around the country deserve the chance to re-open.

THE GOVERNMENT IS being urged by publicans to “stick with its decision” and allow the ‘wet’ pubs to re-open next Monday 21 September.

Last week, pubs were given a fourth date for when they could welcome customers back again but this date has now been put into doubt in Dublin amid a surge of cases of Covid-19 in the capital. 

Cabinet is due to discuss the matter tomorrow as it agrees its framework for living with Covid-19 over the medium term. It’s believed that further restrictions could be announced for Dublin as the capital drives the national rise in cases. 

Publicans around the country are putting in preparations ahead of next Monday, but those in Dublin are uncertain as to whether they’ll be permitted to re-open.

Pubs that serve food have been open since 29 June, but pubs that do not have now been closed for six months. 

Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, Donall O’Keeffe from the Licenced Vintners Association (LVA) – which represents Dublin pubs – said his members deserve the opportunity to re-open. 

“We’re very concerned,” he said when asked about the prospect of Dublin pubs not getting the chance to open next week. 

“We’re calling on the Cabinet to stick by their decision so publicans can begin the long and difficult task of rebuilding our businesses.”

O’Keeffe said that the hospitality sector has been a “source of very limited outbreaks” since some pubs, restaurants and hotels re-opened in late June. 

He said that house parties, meat plants and Direct Provision were a greater source of outbreaks of Covid-19.

“These pubs [that remain closed] have made no contribution to the infection rate in Dublin or Ireland,” he said. “They’ve not been a factor here.”

O’Keeffe added that the “pub experience” will be completely changed once they are allowed to re-open with factors such as 50% capacity and no seating or standing at the bar coming into play. 

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    Mute BreadBasketCase
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    May 8th 2019, 7:55 AM

    Out of character and congestion cited as reasons means this gets the NIMBY seal of approval, even as the OPW!

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    Mute Rhona Quinn
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    May 8th 2019, 9:18 AM

    @BreadBasketCase: Do you know the roads around there? They are very tight & already chocked in mornings….

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    Mute jamesdecay
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    May 8th 2019, 9:28 AM

    @Rhona Quinn: wouldn’t worry about it. The phrase NIMBY gets tossed around like snuff at a wake on these articles. It’s very trendy to be pro-development these days, usually from people who don’t know what they’re talking about.

    Concentrate your efforts where it matters.

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    Mute Rhona Quinn
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    May 8th 2019, 5:06 PM

    @jamesdecay: thanks James. Will do. It does seem to be one of the current catch phrases eh??

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    Mute Shaner Mac
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    May 8th 2019, 10:28 AM

    You wouldn’t think we have a major housing crisis. And most of the congestion is caused by long density, car dependent housing as well as lack of supply closer to the city centre forcing people to commute.

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    Mute Cormac Harrington
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    May 8th 2019, 10:38 AM

    Let the homeless use the Botanic Gardens then.

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    Mute MickN
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    May 8th 2019, 1:54 PM

    We want houses built!!!!!

    But er’ just not in my area….

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    Mute Paul Moran
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    May 9th 2019, 12:49 AM

    I’m from the area, a lot of the traffic is school traffic for people who live near enough to walk or cycle. To many people feel entitled to use their car when they don’t need to. The kids are fat enough already.

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    Mute Trev
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    May 9th 2019, 3:20 PM

    @Paul Moran: I’m also from the area and two of the three schools are primary schools. With zero cycling infrastructure I wouldn’t feel safe letting younger kids cycle in. Besides, traffic is still heavy even when the schools are off

    Plus there’s the planned developments of the old model school across the road from Glasnevin motors and the Addison lodge just 400 metres down the road. Throw in the build going on at the Smurfit factory and that’s an absolutely huge amount of development going on in an area that struggles to cope already

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