TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has said the government is “very minded” to accept NPHET advice for a pre-New Year closure of the hospitality sector and the re-imposition of inter-county travel restrictions.

Inter-country travel restrictions were temporarily lifted today ahead of Christmas before a planned reimposition on 6 January.

The Taoiseach has said that this date is likely to be brought forward but a final decision would be taken by Cabinet on what date it would begin.

Speaking today, Martin described the latest advice from NPHET as “significant restrictions” and comes amid the “rapid growth” of Covid-19 cases.

Martin said that “Level 3 plus” is likely to be in place before the New Year but that the exact restrictions are to be decided by Cabinet when it meets this coming Tuesday.

Under Level 3 of the Living with Covid-19 plan, people are asked to stay in their county except for work, education, medical and other essential purposes.

The advice from NPHET would also see bars and restaurants once more move to takeaway-only, a situation the Irish Hotels Federation described as “extremely short-sighted”.

Under the loosening of restrictions that came in today, two other households can also meet in another household. The new post-Christmas restrictions recommended by NPHET would mean that just one household can visit another.

“As you know we are relaxing measures today in terms of household visits, inter-country travel and that was to go out until the 6 January,” Martin told reporters at a virtual press conference following a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council.

And NPHET are making two key recommendations to bring forward that date to before New Year’s Eve. In terms of the actual date before New Year’s Eve, that’s something that the government has to decide.

“But also, in addition to that, it’s calling for restrictions on hospitality. It’s the Level 3 that would be applying but it would be more severe Level 3 than would have been the case if we kept going to 6 January, but obviously we will have ministerial input into this.”

The Taoiseach said that people will have “plenty of notice” about the tightening of any restrictions.

“Government has to discuss this and will decide ultimately on Tuesday but certainly given the rising numbers over the last week, and they will increase again today, we’re very minded to accept the advice,” he said.

Hospitality

The Licensed Vintners Association said today that further restrictions would be “crushing to the hospitality sector”.

“It is clear that the government’s yo-yo approach isn’t working. The government and NPHET seem to have one a one track mind when it comes to dealing with this pandemic – repeated lockdowns which are crushing the hospitality sector,” CEO Donall O’Keefe said this morning.

Hoteliers in the IHF have expressed “utter shock” at the likely reintroduction of restrictions after Christmas. IHF President Elaina Fitzgerald Kane says this would be “extremely short-sighted”.

“Limiting the options available to people looking for a safe place to stay and dine is not the answer. Doing this will inevitably concentrate the number of gatherings in people’s homes over a short period,” said IHF president Elaina Fitzgerald Kane.

Addressing the concerns of the hospitality second today, Tánaiste and Business Minister Leo Varadkar said he understands they are seeking “certainty and clarity”.

“I’ve had a lot of people ask me this morning, saying they want to know what to do in relation to ordering stock or cancelling stock or what to tell their employees, so we’ll make a decision on this on Tuesday,” he said.

“There’s no recommendation from NPHET to close non-essential retail, personal services or gyms at this time. Who knows what will happen over the next couple of weeks or days, but just to reassure retail, personal services and the gym and leisure sector that those businesses are not currently under consideration.”