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THE PLANNED REOPENING of indoor hospitality is to be delayed until at least 19 July when the government will propose a plan for how the reopening will take place.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has not provided a date for the reopening, saying that his priority was to ensure that “when a sector reopens it stays open”.
Indoor hospitality had been scheduled to return next Monday 5 July but, following a “stark” assessment from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) about the potential spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19, this has now been put back.
“Last night, we were advised by public health officials in very stark terms that proceeding exactly as planned on 5 July carries a real risk of greatly increased spread of the virus, increased hospital admissions illness and death,” he said.
NPHET also said in its advice to government that indoor dining could initially return for fully vaccinated persons only before a wider reopening at a later point.
This suggestion was discussed at a Cabinet meeting this morning and concerns were raised about how this could be implemented.
Restaurant and pub groups earlier described this suggestion as “unworkable” and “ridiculous”.
The Taoiseach said this afternoon that this suggestion would be examined with stakeholders as part of the formation of a plan for indoor reopening.
NPHET’s clear advice based on the modelling it has done is that, given the increased transmissibility of the Delta variant, the safest way to now proceed with return to indoor hospitality is to limit access to those who have been fully vaccinated, or have recovered from Covid infection.
“Over the course of the coming weeks, government will work, urgently, with the relevant sectors to agree a practical and workable approach,” he said.
Other features of the 5 July reopening plan are to go ahead on schedule, this includes the increase in the number of people who can attend a wedding reception to 50 people.
Vaccine passes
On the issue of vaccination passes, the Tanaiste said that the Delta variant had changed Government policy on the use of them.
“We only ever planned to use vaccination passes for international travel. It was government policy not to use those for domestic services,” Varadkar said at the press conference following the announcement,
He described it as a big, difficult change that Cabinet members aren’t particularly happy about.
“But the alternative is to keep these facilities and services closed until we reach herd immunity, and we can’t say when that is.”
The Tánaiste said: “We’ve decided to err on the side of caution. If 1,000 people get the Delta variant, three would die of it, but the problem is if we had 500,000 getting this virus we could find ourselves in the middle of another Covid tragedy.”
The Taoiseach said he could not go into specifics about how such a system might work, stating that they will engage with the sector.
He did not give clarity about what sort of pass would be required, though he did state that the government wasn’t considering the possibility of fines for premises that did not follow the proposed rules.
“That hasn’t entered our consideration at all… we want to engage with the sector… we don’t want, in this context, to bring in a punitive regime,” he said.
He said he would no get into the “specifics” of what such a green pass framework or plan might look like.
Martin said the “sensible thing” to do now is to engage with the sectors and work out a practical and sensible way forward.
He added that Ireland will look to the lessons from other regions, but he said he was not in a position today to go into great detail to what the “final response” from government will be until it speaks to businesses.
When asked about people who choose not to avail of a vaccine, or those who cannot, Martin said: “We’re going to have to examine all the implications of the advice we’re receiving.”
When put to him that he spoke strongly against such a domestic cert two months ago when addressing his parliamentary party, the Taoiseach said: ”Government took decision not to have policy on domestic services on whether a person is vaccinated but there are many twists and turns on this. We have to work our way through the advice.”
Stark modelling
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach said that the modelling from NPHET was “quite stark” in terms of the transmissibility of Delta and its potential impact on the number of Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan sent a letter to Stephen Donnelly yesterday with NPHET’s modelling and advice – it is available to view here.
“The other measures [aside from outdoor activities] which were due to be eased on the 5th July which, by their nature are high risk activities which will involve significant levels of social mixing in indoor environments, should only be permitted for those who have been fully protected by vaccination or who have had Covid-19 infection in the previous nine months,” NPHET recommended.
“The planned easing of these measures should only proceed once a robust, non-reproducible and enforceable system of verification of vaccination or immunity status can be put in place to support this. If this is not deemed feasible, the Government should consider pausing further easing of these measures until such a system can be instituted.”
At a press conference following the announcement, the Taoiseach said the government wants to make sure that a sector is able to remain open after it is allowed to reopen.
He added that the government will work urgently to come up with a practical and workable approach regarding the NPHET advice that only vaccinated people can attend indoor activities.
Martin added that he doesn’t envisage the government engaging outside scrutiny of NPHET’s modelling. He added that modelling is not an exact science.
The government also announced that the planned closure of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to new entrants has been pushed back a week from midnight tomorrow to midnight on 7 July.
- Additional reporting by Christina Finn, Lauren Boland, Aoife Barry and Céimin Burke
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A load of BS!
@Twitruser2021: hospital and ICU figures are incredibly low. Vaccines are being administrated. This is an insult to the hospitality sector.
@Twitruser2021: nobody under 40 allowed!!
@Ted Logan: Tony has a vendetta against the pub industry in Ireland for decades. Our weak leadership has just allowed him carte blanche to continue his war and succeed.
@Eoin Fitzgerald: you’d prefer we close the barn door after the horse has boltes ?
@Eoin Fitzgerald: Its an insult to everyone.
@Seán O’Sullivan: Yes and the horse can run up the north and get served inside not a bother.
@Eoin Scanlon: I know. Isn’t it great!
@Seán O’Sullivan: Horses don’t have botles or even bottles. They have buckets though and I need a bucket of fosters.
@Seán O’Sullivan: problem is uk have downgraded the transmissability of delta significantly in the last week. only reason Australia are tricking it is no one is vaccinated so it will run through them now like a dose of salts.
lord knows what nphet are trying to achieve apart from a destruction of the economy.
@Ted Logan: what ‘pub culture’. You treat drinking unhealthy amounts of alcohol as part of the culture
@Twitruser2021: where are all the Facebook Karen name calling smart guys today, lol, the Irish public has just been done up like a bunch of kippers, OMG, humiliating for ye and ye were warned, “flatten the curve, protect the vulnerable, next 2 weeks vital, nphet doesn’t run the country”, and now pubs closed indefinitely again until an unworkable new system of vaccination proof at the door of every pub in Ireland to be allowed in, I can only laugh at ye
@Seán O’Sullivan: Any chance we could open this particular barn door up. It’s being closed almost 18 months.
.
@Eoin Scanlon: Only the staff or did that even feature in their ridiculous equation.
@ed w: UK had 23,000 cases yesterday, that’s over 6 times as many as us and they have more people vaccinated.
@Justin Gillespie: They have a pop.of 66 million. Three deaths,1490 in hospital as of yesterday.
@Eoin Fitzgerald: insult to the people of this Country
@Eoin Scanlon: yup that would be a s– show alright, let’s hope they stick to what’s been done in rest of Europe and include provision of a negative Covid test – PCR OR Antigen (for folks who aren’t vaccinated).
@Eoin Fitzgerald: Sorry Eoin, your barred.
Buy why?
Talking sense, and your were at it last week aswell, gwan away home now.
We were all in this together until we weren’t…
@David Hammond: we never have been. Workers in certain industries have been in a living hell for 16 months.
@David Hammond: Young people always had far more to lose than the elderly. We were never in this together.
@David Hammond: if I were still working in a bar as a young person I would go on strike, if it’s too dangerous for them to spend 4/5 hours in the pub as customers once a week then surely it would be way way way too dangerous for them to work in the same pub, mixing with many more people at different tables for 10/20/30+ hours a week
@Tomo: Many elderly lost their lives – what more does anyone have to lose than that?
@John Ivory: Jobs, careers, livelihoods. Not to mention who is going to paying for all this for decades to come. It’s easy to say lives matter most but that’s ignoring the fact that the problems created by all this will outlive the people it was intended to save.
@John Ivory: Everyone dies eventually. The majority being extremely old. At what price do we value saving the lives of the frail and elderly? A thousand €? A million €? A billion €? People not living for two years?
If you read up on the health economics analyses within the HSE, they value a persons’ life at around 37,000€. If someone can be given a cancer drug to save their life for one extra year, the HSE may not pay for that drug. This is how health economics works.
If you compile a list of what sacrifices people have made, it’s the young people who have made the most. And they are not even at-risk from this virus. 2 years is a long time for a young person. So many missed experiences that they will never get back. Think about it.
We’ve just witnessed the end of this Government today.
@a: hopefully. But I fear people will eventually forget and vote them back in.
@a: I really hope so…I hope people don’t forget this when next election comes around.
Mary Lou would stand up to NEPHET
@Tracey Berns: She’s been hiding for weeks. She can’t even stand up to the criminals that run her party.
@Tracey Berns: stop it. She can’t even stand up to their mighty ard choirle. Hurling from the ditch at its finest
@Tracey Berns: Not true. ML has been one of NPHET’s greatest supporters since the start of the pandemic.
@a: here’s hoping
@Tracey Berns: really? There hasn’t been a peep out of SF in opposition about the whole thing!
@Tracey Berns: That’s not true, Mary Lou is another scared little kitten that Holohan would bully also, we have nobody with any backbone in any party that will stand up to this unelected dictator
@Tracey Berns: Really?? genuinely whats Mary Lous and SF opinion on Nephet? I honestly don’t know so please fill me in?
@a: please god
@Tracey Berns: while I think this is a bad move and makes no sense, Mary Lou and the rest have not disagreed with nephet either.
@Tracey Berns: Where is she then don’t hear her saying anything. Nor any other opposition party for that matter the silence is deafening.
@a: The Irish public will blame NPHET and forgive FF & FG like they have throughout history. I have zero confidence that this will be any different.
Just like we blamed the recession on the bankers and forgave FF after a brief slap on the wrist.
@Tracey Berns: Mary Lou? I got a good laugh from that one. Where is she? She’ll see what way the wind is blowing then jump on the bandwagon as usual. Besides she’s too busy bashing the Catholics over the ownership of Vincent’s Hospital.
@Rochelle: but if the opposition don’t disagree with NPHET’s advice either, do they get a free ride? Where is Mary Lou? Waiting to see the public reaction before broadcasting a populist tweet no doubt.
@Rochelle: Nphet are the ones to be blamed. The government can’t be seen to be ignoring expert advice again like at Christmas. Even the main opposition has been quite on Nphet.
Remember last year when everyone was hailing Tony a hero. Well that’s what’s got us here
@Tracey Berns: let’s not fotvet the slaughter of our eldery in nursing homes when election time come.
@a: yes let’s put SF in instead … my god do any of you actually look at what they propose to do and how they magically make money appear to pay for it
@Roy Dowling: People are quick to forget Teflon Tony’s role in CervicalCheck too
@John McCann: yawn.
Discrimination plain and simple! No alternative like testing offered to the one who are not vaccinated either by will or because they simply cannot.
@Sigfrid Blanc: I do believe NPHET have lost the plot completely undermining Antigen testing and now pulling extreme modelling out of their backside
@Charlie Murphy: not to mention the short scope of track and trace. Three days here versus seven in the UK. This could be chased down and measures put in place to contain in cluster areas but no, that won’t happen either. Govt admonish themselves of any responsibility and chuck the blame straight at nphet. They’ll know all about it come the next election. FF, FG, and the greens will all be in opposition, that is as good as guaranteed.
@Sigfrid Blanc: in fairness have sympathy for staff, business owners, suppliers, people who have not been offered a vaccine yet because of thier age. Anti vaxers not so much.
@Adrian O’Donnell: track and trace is a joke here. It’s just classic accountability BS. Departments and the government covering their rears.
@Adrian O’Donnell: Track and Trace is hard to do properly, NPHET don’t like doing hard things so it’s just continue with lockdown restrictions.
@Brendan Luke Ferron: me thinking it’s discriminatory for the population accessing pubs doesn’t mean that I don’t have sympathy for them, quite the opposite frankly. This measures are gonna be even more of a nightmare for them.
Also, I dont believe judging others on whether they wish or not to be vaccinated is a good thing. They all have reasons for their choices, but it doesn’t mean that they should be discriminated.
The role of a government of to provide equal measures for ALL of its citizens and residents, despite their religion, race, and personal choices.
@Brendan Luke Ferron: There’s a third group you’re ingoring there. Those who are pro vaccine but don’t want this one for a whole myriad of reasons. Ethicality of vaccinating non-vunerable people in wealthy countries while we let it ravage through the developing world killing left right and centre. Concerns about the potential long term implications of vaccines on reproductive health. Risks of blood clots or heart swelling to name two confirmed potential side effects (and balancing that risk against the risk of coronavirus). There’s any number of reasons why an individual may or may not want a vaccine. The current approach is to coerce people into getting their jab so they can go back to their normal lives and it’s morally corrupt.
@Sigfrid Blanc: Well their choices impact the rest of society. We’ll never be rid of the virus because for that to happen 70% of the world would need to be vaccinated. For now ots dangerous to open society because even the people who want to be vaccinated but can’t will be more exposed to the virus because of interacting with others who did a lot of indoor activities
@Dawid Grzybowski: The problem is that those measures not only will discriminate those who don’t wish to be vaccinated (and the ones who can’t right now) but it will not change their minds either or push them against it even more, it’s not solving any problems. If they want people to get vaccinated they have to gain trust and educate, not segregate.
@Sigfrid Blanc: you forgot old people were told to kurfew or have you forgotten
@John O Connor: I didn’t forget, but between being asked to stay home to protect yourself and being banned for something because you fall under a category (which could be avoided with testing) there is a major difference
Lost the room today
@IAmTheTruth: oh christ, are we back to using that cliché again? 40 comments saying “lost the room/dressing room” after every article. Please no.
@Pseud O’Nym: You have lost the journal comments section. Such a pity as it was strong counter point until you said “40 comments”. Disappointed for you.
Whatever happened to flattening the curve…..ffs
@Brian Murphy: It’s time the people of this country stand up and take to the streets now like the French do, this is a step too far, we need to push back now
@Paul O Neill: But that’s the problem with this country, we won’t take to the streets and stand up… we’ll moan about it and do what we’re told… unfortunately.
@Gigi: yes that’s so true, so many sheep in this country that love being told what to do by dictators and control hungry seekers, sure they get it from the GAA
Were young people not pleaded with to protect the vulnerable? Have they not given up the most in the last 16 months? Now young people have to watch on as the protected vulnerable can enjoy privileges not afforded to them? Absolute joke and I sympathise greatly with the youth of Ireland today – they have done a huge amount for us between working in supermarkets throughout the pandemic to working in vaccine centres now. The creation of a two tiered society is as dangerous as it is a slap in the face to many who have done fantastically over the course of the pandemic. Sickening.
@IAmTheTruth: They sacrificed so much for others and now they are dealt yet another slap in the face.
@IAmTheTruth: In case you have forgotten, the lockdowns in this country started due to the scenes of crowded pubs filled with young people from temple bar when the virus first got into this country….the yoing helped spread it, the old and vunerable died from it.
What a horrible discriminatory policy
Shame on the government and Nphet
The country is in ruins
@Luke: Should have implemented this policy only when vaccines were available to everyone. Then again its not like FFG have anyone under 65 voting for them anyway so they won’t mind.
@Luke: Country is ruined because you can’t get a pint indoors, poor thing. Better stay away from 10 of EU neighbours so. https://twitter.com/NaomiOhReally/status/1409851528710660096?s=19
@Rayzor: country is ruined because billions of euro in debt is being put on the shoulders of everyone, 400,000+ have been forced out of work for 18 months now and still are at a time when there is less than 50 people in hospital out of 4,900,000. Nphet is more like not fit.
Madness… where the “elderly” customers are vaccinated, but the younger staff are not. It’s safe for them though, of course, just not younger unvaccinated customers
@Cíarán Whyte: Remember, it’s always ok for young people to put themselves at risk when it’s the comfort and convenience of boomers at stake.
Just look at who emigrates in every financial downturn or how new recruit teachers and nurses were treated after the last recession. It’s the Irish way to sacrifice its youth.
@Cíarán Whyte: young staff work in these venues, they should be vaccinated.
Social contract out the window. Young people didn’t ask for a tier tier society last year and are now being shafted. The youth of Ireland took it on the chin and “protected to sick and elderly”.
Absolute shambles from this government and NPHET
@Peazel: as long as young people have access to vaccines then everything will be fine. The problem is not requiring vaccines but the lack of access to them. There is no disadvantage for young people to receive vaccines. They enhance your immune system to create antibodies and prevent long covid, hospitalisation and death
@Dawid Grzybowski: Young people don’t have access to Vaccine. I’m 36 registered still no date for my first jab. My wife is 34 and she scant even register yet. Where is the Access your talking about?
@Roy Dowling: . My two kids are fully vaxed a month ago (aged 33 and 35). I’m still waiting for 2nd jab and twice their age.. They just phoned up local doctor in medical center and made appointments.
@Dawid Grzybowski: yeah, but young people don’t have access to a vaccine, I’m 21 and the only people I know who are my age who have gotten the vaccine are those who work in healthcare or in transport. Access for this corhort is extremely poor. Even erasmus students who are going away this year to other EU countries as part of their education can’t get a vaccine before they leave. All this does is just further penalise the youth
@Ronan O’Keeffe: AFAIK younger folk have access to J&J jabs now.. or will do very soon.. pharmacies to roll them out to over 18s.
So the parts of the country that have GPs ringing up people in their mid 20s telling them to come in for vaccines are sorted so… What happens if your GP has played by the ‘rules’.
@Dublin – Overheard: if they played by the rules they should have all the necessary age groups vaccinated. Surgeries are only ringing younger people when they have a surplus. Do you want to see them go to waste or do you want people who will be more likely to mingle and mix to get them.
@Andrew English: How about they plan properly and don’t skip down to 23 year olds cos they know their mammy and daddy.
@Dublin – Overheard: I’m 27 got my second Vaccine Friday. Asthmatic since birth. Did you ever consider things like this?
@Padraic Burke: I’m 38 with severe asthma and have not been offered a vaccine despite requesting one numerous times with my gp. How did you manage to get one? My friend who has high blood pressure got one, I would of thought a respiratory disease be more serious to Covid. I know a another number of individuals who got vaccines because as somebody mentioned their parents are well in with the GP. This is very frustrating and smacks of typical Irish crounyism and lack of planning. I can imAgine there are loads of vaccines lying around and just no thought has gone in as to who to give them to.
@Dublin – Overheard: even if that’s true, which I’m sure it is in some cases, it’s a tiny percentile over the overall population. It still means people are getting vaccinated which is the overall aim.
@Fargo Boyle: I was contacted by the GP. As we’re countless others who I encountered on the day. All had something underlying various age groups from early 20s into 50s. Seemed pretty routine to me.
@Padraic Burke: I know a 19 year old with no underlying conditions who was offered one from her family GP last week, it’s definitely happening.
@Rochelle: Exactly. Of course I’m not counting anyone who has an underlying condition. These are perfectly healthy young people who openly admit they got the call out of the blue from their GPs. Places in munster doing ‘drive-through’ clinics – stick your arm out the window. It’s just very unfair for those who have done everything that has been asked of them.
@Rochelle: Myself and my family of 5 ranging from 13-27 years were offered the vaccine by my GP, not only that but we were all offered it by another GP also who is not even our family GP. I wonder why?
Publish the modelling.
@Bananaquit: NPHET or the Government don’t come here looking for advice.
@barry moore: Nor anywhere else seemingly…
@Bananaquit: it’s published.
https://twitter.com/gavreilly/status/1409854584395374592
@Rochelle: I’m not having a go but I can’t find the modelling following that link. Maybe I’m missing it but all I’m seeing is their final projections, not how they came to those figures.
@Podge: Thats all there is!
@Franny Ando: I found a link in this article actually. Having gone through it all yet though to see if it’s all there.
https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/ba4aa0-letters-from-the-cmo-to-the-minister-for-health/
COMPLETE SHAMBLES.
When you’re watching England vs Ze Germans tonight and you see 60,000 people in Wembley.
Just remember our NPHET overlords and government clowns decided we couldn’t guarantee 25% capacity to host the game. So glad we are the only country doing the right thing apparently!
@Sam Murray: they have twice the amount fully vaccinated
@Kevin Thompson: we have more than enough vaccinated to safely fit 12,000 people into a stadium ffs.
@Sam Murray: they also had 23000 cases on Sunday, do we really want that
@HunWithACause✊: And only a few deaths. A slight rise in hospitalisation. Nothing on the scale it was.
@Sam Murray: 8 thousand in croker this Sunday !!
@Sam Murray: what about the Uefa officials that want to come without quarantine
So as I’m getting my 2nd jab this Sunday I’ll be able to sit in a pub or restaurant but my wife has to sit outside in the rain!!! Absolute cockwombles running this country
@Franny Ando: as has been the case since day 1, hospitalizations lag cases by a few weeks and ICU and death lag weeks again so saying more cases now and no more in hospital now (there are more tho, and rising daily) is OK its not being honest.
Now, vaccines mean the average age of those who will get sick is lower and they will spend less time in hospital and in ICU because of this.
But with many still not fully protected, huge case numbers will unfortunately lead to sickness and deaths as its simply unavoidable until vaccines get us to herd immunity.
The question is how do we limit that while also having as open a society as possible.
Not easy.
@rolyat ecnal: then your wife should get the vaccine, plain amd simple, no disadvantages to receiving it
@Sam Murray: Sure they won’t allow antigen testing here like the rest of the civilised world, so…
@Fozz: The link between cases and hospitalisations has been broken. Just because they have 20k cases now doesn’t mean in a week they will have 5k going into hospital. At current rate, in 2/3 weeks they will have around 500 people admitted to hospital each day. The UK are also testing so many people.
@Dawid Grzybowski: I’m in the same boat as rolyat ecnal. I’m 39, have registered and haven’t been offered a vaccine yet. Certain counties move a lot slower than others! I’ll take whatever they’re offering, thing is….. they’re not offering!
So are young unvaccinated people being advised to catch and recover from Covid in order to salvage their summer?
@Fergus O’Connor: loads of lamp posts to lick. Be grand!
@Fergus O’Connor: sounds like it. Also can you imagine the amount of forged vaccine certs about to go on the market?
@Fergus O’Connor: not really. Hopefully the az or jj plan will be succesful to give young people vaccimes very soon
So all these young people who sacrificed a year and a half of their lives have to sit and watch the “vulnerable” go back to normal? Seems fair.
@Rob Foley: incase you didn’t notice all age groups made sacrifices. It was mainly the elderly that lost their lives. Everyone else went true an inconvenience.
@barry moore: and now one group are free to do what they want while another is still restricted. Fair ?
@Rob Foley: the az and jj plan will ensure young people have access to vaccimes quickly. Stop whining
@Rob Foley: one group are, or rather, those that survived are. Fair?
@Rob Foley: when is life ever fair? Was it fair the elderly had no visitor’s for a year. Was it fair thousands died because infected staff had to go to work because we have no statutory right to sick pay. Was it fair that nurses and doctors had to put their lives at risk to care for people who didn’t believe the virus was real till they got it. Maybe don’t understand life yet. Maybe your a generation that just gets everything they want. Your parents must never have said no to you. It’s life get over it.
Not sure how they’re rationalising it being ok for wedding receptions for 50 being ok but otherwise indoor dining is not ok? Are the wedding meals all picnics and barbecues as part of the outdoor summer we’re having?!
@Kate Kelly: Maybe because one of their own is getting married in a few weeks. He was only on yesterday talking about his “concerns” regarding numbers at his weddiing. How could he leave people out. Maybe the same way every other couple had to deal with these concerns!!
@Kate Kelly: how many weddings do you think you would goto this summer when only 50 are allowed to go , vs how many times you will go to a restaurant or bar inside this summer?
@Kate Kelly: Because liveline will be filled with anxious couples wondering which 25 guests they need to cut from the invite list.
There’s never a logic to these restrictions, they’re all a political balancing act between appeasing NPHET and trying to avoid outrage.
@Kate Kelly: it’s a risk vs reward calculation. Weddings are a big deal to the people involved and there are a small number of them Vs the amount that would eat in restaurants and pubs
We have just witnessed the end of this Government today.
I heard that in Denmark, people can rock up to a testing centre, get an antigen test with speedy results, and that allows them 72 hours of access to everything: bars, clubs, gigs, sporting events etc. Thisnis how they can have the stadium in Copenhagen packed to the rafters for Euros games while we have a handful at our games. I guess one of the main differences between there and here is that their health service actually works, so if there were to be a spike, they could cope. The other factor though is political will and imagination. But hey, we get what we vote for.
@Seánie Ó Flannagáin: this this this. Allowing vaccinated and immune people into indoor spaces, but not providing an option for those who have not yet been offered a vaccine to use an antigen test to access, is beyond discrimination.
@Seánie Ó Flannagáin: Well there is the minor details that Denmark has a proper functional Personal ID system linked into all relevant databases. ( Something a lot of people seems to have a problem with here ).
It would simple not be possible to do here.
They also spend 6m-10m euro a day testing. But it keeps things open so clearly the cost-benefit adds up.
One issue is that testers are being pulled in from the street, given a 2 hour course and are then being paid a lot more than they could make working lowish paid normal jobs. = same issue as the PUP payment.
Least free country in the EU
@Aleks Ander:
Not really.
https://twitter.com/NaomiOhReally/status/1409851528710660096?s=19
A gentle reminder that there is less than fifty people in the entire country in hospital due to covid. If you don’t laugh you’ll cry.
What a bunch of c0wards we have running this country. A complete joke, I feel for all in the hospitality industry. The mental stress alone. They really haven’t a clue.
I think that the pubs and restaurants should ignore the government and reopen for inside dining and drinking. The guards cannot prosucute every pub and restaurant in the country. A period of civil disobedience by everyone will get the message through to the government
@John Cassin: should work well, just like South William Street a couple of weeks ago. Carnage.
The government has lost touch with reality. Very disappointing for those in the hospitality industry.
G0bshites
Straight up discrimination, no two ways about it. I shouldn’t have to be refused service because I choose not to take an experimental drug.
@Dan Skelton: Yep you should.
You’d wonder what it’s going to take for people to finally stick up for themselves. In 2 weeks time we’ll be given another reason for further delaying reopening. It’s just not acceptable at this point. Restaurants and pubs should reopen en masse. They would have majority public support at this point. Obviously it’s time to disband NPHET and we need a general election ASAP.
@Declan Doherty: the gardai can object and the courts can reject the licence renewal for disobeying government advice.
@Declan Doherty: Actually, I do not think they will. In case you have not noticed, most that support the restrictions have pretty much abandoned this site because of the rubbish you lot come out with. I only came back yesterday after months ignoring it, and guess what, nothing has changed. It is the same 20 or 30 people giving out about the restrictions and so on, out of the thousands registered to comment.
Well that was incredibly vague
Everyone just open!!!…..or the entire hospitality sector will collapse along with tens of thousands of jobs….and who do they employ???…the youth of our country. RISE!!!
All the moaning on here will do fook all . Places should open up regardless. Nothing the government says makes sense.
‘At least’ the 19th of July! No chance it will reopen. Sickening.
I never envisaged ireland becoming 1930s Germany or South Africa apartheid in my own lifetime. These people have lost control of themselves. Scary times.
@Ray Martin: it will be more Weimar republic than 1930′s Germany.
Correct decision. Health before pints
@Mattress Dick: You do really live up to you name don’t you. Sad.
@Franny Ando: very happy actually. I have a bar in my back garden. Call around for pints if you’re that desperate
@Franny Ando: Insulting people that don’t agree with you while saying that’s something that you don’t do. Come down off that high horse Franny.
@Mattress Dick: desperate!! From the man who put in his own bar. Jog on.
@Mattress Dick: total nonsense
@Franny Ando: relax Franny. Just because someone disagrees with you there’s no need to insult them.
@Denis Ryan: Ah Denis this is the one you reply to lol.
@Franny Ando: A study has shown that people who write lol at the end of their own comments are on the lower end of the intellectual scale. Why would I respond to your anti public Health rhetoric, you have clearly shown to have a selfish nature to the rules in place for the common good.
@Denis Ryan: Ah Denis now now no need to be churlish it doesn’t become you.
I have genuinely lost all faith in this country, and I absolutely hate the way it has gone over the last sixteen months. We are now governed by power hungry politicians, who willingly and constantly accept the views of unelected pen pushers, and whose views amount to nothing more than over the top worst case scenarios. Mark my words when NEPHET and the Irish government have finished destroying this country, pubs will be a thing of the past, and a night out will be a latte in your local cafe. Ireland of the 1000 welcomes or guaranteed craic have been well abd truly systematically taken apart by NEPHET and their spineless, gutless minions Michael and Leo.
@The Firestarter: I think the politicians are just weak and feeble, they’re terrified of taking decisions around the pandemic given how divisive it is so they simply let NPHET decide everything. The main opposition party are just as weak, no strong opinions on anything during the pandemic. All of them are thinking about their seat in the next election, nobody wants to show leadership or bravery.
The hope is we’ll all blame NPHET and forget about who has the actual power of decision making.
No worries, I’ll just go over the border and spend my money elsewhere.
So this has been done based on modelling done by nephet, it would be logical then to publish the modelling to see does it hold proper scrutiny or are these figures just plucked out of thin air, modelling in other EU countries does not appear to be the same as ours. Publish the data and if correct I for one will row in behind it, if you want support publish the data.
@Disillusioned: If our opposition politicians had any backbone they’d also be calling for the data to be published…
@William Tallon: What opposition. Where are Labour, S.F, P.B.P etc are they still around or a gone on their holidays. The silence is deafening.
Are they gonna get a load of vaccinated Grannies and Granadas in to serve the food? I’ve been on board with government recommendations from the start but we have reached a plateau and now it’s time to get on with things.
Disturbing. They are trying to push the vaccine onto the younger population. It’ll be kids next.
So is a waiter now entitled to ask me for medical information. What happened to GDPR?
@PaleoIreland: GDPR refers to the storage of personally identifiable information. Not relevant in this case
So let me get this straight….. 50 people vaccinated or not are safe to be at a wedding reception for most of the day, but 10 or 15 people in a rural pub for a couple of hours is a no-no. Bonkers.
@Chuck Heneghan: An unvaccinated chef can’t sit down for a meal in their own restaurant after an 8 hour shift but can attend a wedding party with 49 other people in the hotel down the road.
@Chuck Heneghan: Yep. Go figure!! I’m giving serious thought to just emigrating because at this rate, I don’t think this country will ever be back to anything even remotely close to normal.
They are forcing people to get vaccinated that has to be illegal
@Margaret Kane: they are not forcing anyone to get vaccinated. It is still your choice
@Elaine Phelan: they are forcing them if they won’t let them into pubs or restaurants thats discrimination
@Margaret Kane: And conveniently said that AZ is now safe for young ppl to take at the same time.
@Margaret Kane: if you’re not allowed into shops without a mask, is that discrimination too?
@GrumpyAulFella: ohhh go play with the buses you nobhead
Reasonable decision.
@Seán O Ciara: Its not, its rewarding people who didn’t follow the rules up to now, if I got Covid I’m allowed go to the pub but because I followed the rules up to now and didn’t get it I can’t go
@Seán O Ciara: can’t be as hotels allowing what the pubs are looking for
@eoin carroll: We all know its the right thing to do. Some people just can’t accept it for various reasons. At the end of the day it will be for the greater good.
@Seán O Ciara: we all don’t think that and unfortunately we live under am inept and weak government. Personally does not effect me as my local in Ballsbridge has beautiful beer garden which is covered. But i do consider others. No more than 1700 have died due to cv19 in Ireland.
@Sean: Not really considering others with the statement ‘no more than 1700 have died due to cv19.’
@Seán O Ciara: obviously you are a clueless civil servant with no real life experience. The sooner the civil service is 20% smaller then our economy can start to recover. Time to start sacking civil servants that the private sector workers pay for and the country cannot afford.
@inflation is coming… buy physical silver.: Sad attempt to provoke.
Did l miss something in news that it said it was delayed for 2 weeks as this article states, though he said a number of weeks..?
@James Cronin: decision is delayed for 2 weeks , the reopening is delayed until further notice
sure why not stick an effing yellow star on the unvaccinated and be done with it…..
It would be great if we had a leader willing to make decisive decisions instead of hiding behind the findings of committees. Instead of a strong leader we have Martin unwilling to make decisions or take responsibility for decisions. We’re an embarrassment at this stage.
Absolutely disgraceful losing control of the people is too much for them pubs and restaurants open up on the 5th stand up to them they are getting away with murder
The horse has well and truly bolted . Call everything off
They throw in this insulting, divisive, notion of allowing vaccinated people to dine indoors – at some stage- just to distract us all.
The real news here is that, in spite of all we’ve suffered and all we’ve achieved, they’ve pushed the reopening back again.
Rapid testing need – end of story!
That NPHET prediction of up to 700k cases in the next three months is equivalent to over 40m cases in the US, more than the total number of confirmed cases to date in that country
That’s with about 70% with a first dose and 40+% fully vaccinated.
Theres literally no way…. And our reporters from the Journal, Virginia media and the journal can’t say they stand for the truth without pulling NPHET on such ridiculous unrealistic numbers. It’s freaking disgusting
Sorry and @ RTE where “the truth matters” apparently..
@David Lee: Their modelling has been wildly inaccurate since the start. Remember in the very first lockdown when Leo warned us we were headed for 15k daily cases by April 1st 2020? The first wave peaked around 1000.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-ireland-idUSKBN21313G
@Rochelle: genuine question, his prediction was with no restrictions in place, right?
This is how dictators take power, bit by bit, hoping nobody will notice until its too late
So NEPHT know more that the experts throughout Europe. They want everything closed until zero Covid. Everywhere in Europe permitting vaccinated people into bars and restaurants, simply produce evidence of vaccination or negative test. It’s that simple, but not in Ireland. Cries about equality legislation, discrimination bla bla bla. Everywhere else can do it, why can’t we. Incompetence and laziness. Even the restaurants and bars here complaining about the hassle of checking customers. This could have been planned for weeks ago. It’s a complete bad joke. Our so called leaders should be shot, can’t make a proper informed decision weighing up health and economics. NEPHT modelling is a farce, not based on any real data, just look at UK, hospital cases MAY go up 10% which would bring us to 40 in hospital and 15 in ICU. We are already lowest in Europe but keep squandering our money and bankrupt the country for no reason.
Funny how not even One of the other European countries believe the same. NPHET projecting 2,000 deaths between July & September if indoor hospitality reopens as had been planned on July 5th!?! Does anyone find that in the least bit credible given that we are now heading swiftly towards the 5 million mark of vaccinations!?!
@Nigel o’Neill: how can they predict 2000 deaths when they cant even tell us up to date mortality rates now.
@Nigel o’Neill: nobody really knows Nigel. 23,000 cases in the UK, further advanced on vax than most countries, on Sunday, a rise of 70% in 7 days, and they’ve postponed “Freedom Day” until they establish what damage this variant is going to do. Do you think the Brits were wrong to do that also? What has them so scared that they had to postpone reopening and with so many people vaccinated? New Scientist reported 2m people with long Covid in England. Is it safe to open and have large indoor gatherings now with cases on the rise like this and inevitably across the border shortly?
Here we are, more of this playing everyone off each other. Its absolutely draining at this stage.
Up to now, I’ve been happy enough to put my trust in the experts. They’ve gone too far though. What makes Ireland so special that we have to delay reopening when the rest of Europe is open? I feel that people’s mental health, especially those whose livelihoods are in hospitality, will be affected for a very long time
Auld wans shifting away like its the 1970s
@eoin carroll: don’t forget the ole fellas
Pure tyrannical medical apartheid by unaccountable, unelected, drunk with power sociopaths. How scandal ridden Holohan is still employed in government, never mind somehow becoming the country’s de facto decision maker is a national disgrace.
@Barry Cahill: ah Barry, get off the fence, for God’s sake!!
@David Hughes: You know… I felt my comment was a bit too wishy washy ;)
The hospitality sector should all open at the one time just like they did in Italy which forced their government to back track. This bullsh!t has gone on long enough.
Apartheid
Still no covid passport. Only way to show proof of vaccination is the little green card which is easily forged….. Good job lads
@Vlad Eire: meanwhile China had theirs up and running within weeks at the start of 2020. Do we really believe that IT capabilities are that rubbish ?
@Vlad Eire: Incorrect, you get a badge too
@John McCann: haha forgot about that. I got one for each jab, I must sell one on the black market!!
@John McCann: I never got a badge boo hoo
@Vlad Eire: yup it’s a joke. At least in the rest of Europe, opening indoor hospitality has been done in a safe manner with the covid passport system. And it seems to be working.. cases haven’t shot up in Germany, Austria, Denmark.
On one hand the govt are being super cautious delaying indoor hospitality for 2 weeks to give them time to consider covid passport system.. but by that very reasoning wouldn’t that suggest they’ve been totally reckless by allowing hotels to fully open for the last month with no covid-passport system?
Holohan has now surpassed Oliver Cromwell in notoriety among the Irish population
I know 2 barman who are determined NOT to get any vaccination so do they get sacked? Are all unvaccinated staff going to be laid off again u till they are? Absolute nonsense!!
Michael and Leo have no liathroidi. Being walked all over by not fit NPHET
Dr Vincent Carroll calls for the abolition of NPHET. https://www.bitchute.com/video/WpdGtwpZI8ib/?fbclid=IwAR11aLdHFwLmPXCfq8xGMAikWjWpr0nhpfrO-w6CXA1pY4QPbfmfwDA21KA
100% no to all of this. Utter bs. Open Monday. The customers will come. No evidence given. Iv had enough of all of this.
Last time I checked coercion was illegal in Ireland. Its gas how much fuss was made of trump when in fact the real dictators were in plain sight.
Are they now changing to a zero covid strategy ?
@Da Dell: yesterday you commentee multiple times saying they should open to to vaccinated people. Shouldn’t you be supporting this?
@Elaine Phelan: *commented
@Elaine Phelan: You seem to have a memory problem as well as problem with putting words in other people’s mouth’s. No I didn’t say that at all. You fear mongers have got what you wish now. If this was September would ya be saying that schools should remain shut ?
@Da Dell: yes I would if the data suggested that a delay in a couple of weeks would help
The next two weeks will tell a lot, hold firm. The brothels will be back soon!
@TheBurner: Souper!
Why won’t they say that NPHET has a problem with pubs, they just don’t what them open. It’s got nothing to do with indoor dining, if you can have dining for hotel guests and now 50 people for weddings why not just open the whole lot up.
It’s discrimination its as simple as that.
I just came her for the comments
@Damo Casey: That sounds rather dodgy on second reading…
Time for Michael Martin to do the only honorable option that’s left for him and go to President Higgins and hand in his resignation.
WOW, again the tony and nphet defenders are nowhere to be seen on this article’s comments section, u can’t defend this decision, the ultimate Irish blackmail , the travel blackmail didn’t work so go right at the heart of Irish culture and society and make up a rule where u can’t enter a pub or restaurant until u are full vaccinated on top of the fact that the pubs and restaurants still don’t have a guaranteed reopening date with a shambles of a proposal of only the vaccinated allowed to enter which is completely unworkable, people of Ireland, would u PLEASE STAND UP, enough is enough
@Hugo Bugo: can’t debate with with irrationality. Your posts are emotional and manic. What’s the point discussing anything with you?
No vaccine passport needed…. vaccine passport for international travel….vaccine passport for indoor hospitality. What next? documents to allow intercounty travel as touted months ago. Where do the restrictions end as new variants come about naturally and we get shut down to varying degrees for each one and more and more references to increased transmissability, higher death rates etc.
And there you have your two tier society justified due to this “dangerous” variant. It’s so predicable it’s laughable.
Give us a break
Are we still pretending and ignoring scientifically proven, safe and inexpensive treatments for a weakened ‘variant’?? Good old Ireland. They will be marching the unvaccinated to the camps next. Why are those vaccinated with an experimental treatment allowed since they can still catch and pass on Covid? Cue deletion on comment as free speech no longer allowed. You must comply, you must obey, you must not think for yourself. A million on the streets in London last weekend. Here we just have selfish sheep who in reality have no idea what’s going on
So we are the exception when it comes to length of time of lockdowns, we’re the exception when it comes to not accepting antigen testing, and we’re now the exception with this.
I’d say there’ll be severe brain drain when all the college educated young people leave after the way this government and country has treated them.
Farcical just farcical…Martin and holohan have nothing but contempt for us as this stage
Because segregation has always been well received
Ffs disgraceful
I think people need to face the fact that NPHET will NEVER let the pubs open fully, this was their plan all along. They’ll just keep coming up with excuses, and why do Irish people keep taking all this lying down, we’re too easy to just accept what we are told, no uproar or protests like in other countries. It’s not about the virus anymore, it’s about control now! At first they said we’ll keep things closed til the vulnerable are vaccinated, that has now happened ages ago, but no, that’s not enough for them now! This will ruin any chance some restaurants or pubs had at trying to recoup any losses they incurred during what should have been a busy summer for them. Sick of it all now!!
@Freda Hanratty: If only we had an elected parliament of officials who could make balanced decisions that wasn’t just a mirror of NPHET’s advice. Anyone know how we could have a system like that?
NPHET will be doing well to get re-elected at the next election after this.
Can anyone explain why we are the only country in Europe not allowing bars and restaurants to open indoors?
I’m vaccinated, will I still get in in white socks ?
So only now have they decided they might need a plan to implement this deluded idea they have on reopening. Couldn’t have prepared a plan B or anything. Meanwhile businesses collapse, families suffer financially, mental health – sure who cares, punish the young for any effort we have put in for the last year or so, meanwhile you can sit in a hotel and dine with no limits but if you do it in another restaurant it’s suddenly a problem. We need to stop listening to these clowns
I think they just lost the dressing room with that decision.
Most vulnerable people are vaccinated, younger people absolutely deserve to be getting their lives back at this stage.
18 months is a lifetime when you’re young and should be out having fun.
Poor decision
How is this man leading our country. It is appalling what is going on even dr of gloom Sam McConkey said we should open on 5th. NPHET need to be fact checked witn immediate effect . Then when truth is out tgen told to swing the hook. 700k cases predicted if goes pear shaped.
ISAG have a lot more cop on than the shower doing the stat modelling. Is anyone listening to them? Are there any virologists or immunologists on the nphet panel? Not the last time I checked. Whatever about Holohan, there are a lot more questions to be asked about how decisions like this are made.
Imagine being a restaurant having to deal with this.
What if a group of 4 comes in and one of them forgot their vaccine card? How do you deal with an irate anti-vaxxer who tries to be served? What if the vaccine card looks fake? What if staff who are happily serving people outdoors at the moment don’t want to serve people indoors until they’re vaccinated?
What a complete mess.
@Rochelle: Yeah, hopefully they’ll adopt a covid passport system (and allow proof of prior infection/ negative pcr-or-antigen test) like they’ve done in most countries in Europe – seems to have worked well in so far in these countries.
Basing it on vaccination status alone would be looking for trouble.
This is gone way beyond ridiculas at this stage life under fuher Holohan mean while life goes on elsewhere in the EU life goes on while we are styck here
Disgraceful , go S. C. R. E. W. yer selves ……
I assume the bar staff and waiters are getting their vaccine too?
I knew Tony would make us pay for the crowds he saw in town the other week
Yesterday many of the commenters on the articles about opening indoor dining were chastising the government for not opening up to vaccinated people. Today, they say they are looking into it and many of the commentators cry discrimination. They can’t win
@Elaine Phelan: Thats quite untrue. Maybe go back and read them again.
@Franny Ando: it’s is true. Read the comments on the articles from before this announcement
The same issue that was there at the start of the pandemic remains. We have a grossly underfunded health care system which cannot cope with the potential spike in cases from the Delta Variant. In fact in light of the hack things are worse.
Government have had ample time to address these issues but chose not to.
This is not NEPHTs “fault”. They are making recommendations based on the evidence in front of them.
Part of that evidence is that we have one of the worst public healthcare systems in Europe.
Government are using NEPHT as a scapegoat for their own failings when it comes to the battle for hearts and minds, and judging by the comments here it’s working.
@Coz: Ireland is one of the biggest spenders on Health per capita in the world. The money is wasted and not used correctly
Absolute disgrace.
Papers please. Hitler would be so proud of Ireland. We should make the unvaxed wear a band on there hand so we can know who they are. And after that we should open concentration camps for the unvaxed for there own safety and ours.
@Tac: you know you have lost an argument when you compare optional vaccinations to protect deaths to nazi concentration camps
@Tac: you know you have no argument when you fall back on Hitler comparisons. Comparing optional vaccinations to protect your health and protect others from getting a very nasty illness to Nazi concentration camps is hyperbolic to the max
Election time get rid of these muppets
One word. Clusterf*#k
Shameful! Sure why doesn’t Michael just pop off on his holidays. It’s clearly not him running the country. Apparently NPHET know more then every other EU country who all have indoor hospitality open. Time the sector banded together and just opened up en masse.
Can we open on The 12th.
Then we have a date we can all celebrate together.
It’s also an insult to people under 40 especially who couldn’t possibly be fully vaccinated by then.
@Ashling Fenton: Not many FF / FG voters in those age groups so they seemingly don’t care.
Imagine how different things would be if this virus was like the Spanish Flu and more deadly to young people but harmless to the old. Would we even have a lockdown at all?
Did you ever hear such bullkrap in all your life. Path-etic
Meanwhile here in Spain the whole country is open. Night clubs are now open until 3.30. 14 day rate lower than Ireland. Irish people are being lied to on an epic proportion. Wait until echo fox and golf come along. Laughing stock seriously.
He is the worst leader this country has ever seen.
@Ed: its a insult to the people to call him or Leo the leak a leader MOR-NS would be a better name for them
July the 19th you say. Why does that date strike me as important ?
Not a shock about the delay but for them “to devise a plan for how reopening should take place”??? Have they not had enough time for that already?
We are all in this together ye right
The 4 of us suppose to go on staycation this Saturday. We were to camp wild for 2 nights as the campsites in Wicklow, Wexford, Waterford and East Cork don’t accept tents this year (sites in Galway, Mayo, Donegal accept them). Then 3 nights in a hostel in Waterford, eat indoors, visit Greenways cycling. Then 2 nights wild camping again. Thanks to the Gov’s recent decision to postpone reopening of indoor dining, we have cancelled the hostel, the train, we won’t visit local business in Waterford, we won’t dine either. One of the friend just booked a flight to Valencia for €13 one way, he’s fully vaccinated.
We decided to shorten the staycation if we will go at all. HUGE uncertainty and lack of vision from the Gov. Very disappointing. We were encouraged to make plans to stay in the country.
Micheàl Martin just do what they do in EUROPE not what they do in UK, .
@Christybhoy67: er? Inside dining and pubs are open in the U.K.!
Yes its not fair on the hospitality industry but if they open now and then close in a few weeks we would end up in lockdown again…Slow and steady is the way to go..personally I don’t think I could cope with restrictions going backwards
Have you ever seen officials give up powers they introduced income tax just to get rid of napoleon he dead its not
So the younger folk who probably won’t be vaccinated will be allows work in the restaurants . Can’t make this bull up.
What about testing. Use antigen ya useless shower of ball sacks
Nonsense! I am not and never have been anti-government, and I usually think that the experts know what they are doing. But they are putting me in a very difficult position because while NPHET’s job is to put forward the worst case scenario, which they do so with relish, it is the government’s job to take that and apply some common sense and big picture thinking to it and then decide the next step which is okay from a public health perspective but also from an economic perspective while also giving at least half a thought to mental well-being. The government have forgotten what their job is……which makes it impossible to support them. While Tony H is gone power mad, it seems, the government have let him!!
@Jean Carter: hownare they putting you in a difficult position?
Well they need to be taken out. All the publicans and restaurants after buying in food and drink. Will they be compensated?. Hell no. Bunch of ……………
wont be planning for irish weekend now. i rather pay the PCR for my boys than spend money on hols here if we can’t have family meal together in restaurants.
People in their forties only getting first Jab this week in Dublin while people in their 30s in Kerry are also getting first jab . This proposal is totally unfair on people under 40 in Dublin
If they know the figures on deaths (as in the article) why not publish them.
They need 20 days to figure out how to handle people, who have been vaccinated, for indoor dining, I can’t imagine how long time they need to find out how long time it will take to vaccinate people. What does the project model have to look like before they will open further up for all.
Rubicon crossed. No way back now with dialogue.
Myself and wife are vaccinated but our teenage kids aren’t. So does that mean no going out for an indoor family meal ??
@Jason Ebbs: yes. This is the reality. Hopefully your teenagers will be offered the vaccine soon
I gotta say it does make me angry that while the rest of Europe were implementing the covid passport system to allow safe reopening of indoor hospitality, we were sitting on our behinds. And now we have to delay for two weeks because of this oversight.. was this not something that they could have got the ball rolling on sooner?
In most countries in Europe (Denmark, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, etc) you are required to show a negative COVID test or proof of vaccination/past infection before entering an indoor venue (restaurants, hotels, gyms, etc).
Indoor hospitality has been open since end of May in these places.
I fully understand that the govt needs to be cautious when reopening, but why is it only now that we’re looking at this?
I feel sorry for the staff that have to serve vaccinated people when them themselves aren’t vaccinated due to their age as mostly young people work in the hospitality sector and we all know that although you are vaccinated you can still pick up the virus and pass it on.
Such a disaster for the hospitality sector yet Again , if NEPHIT had their way , the pubs would remain permanently closed ,when are the government gonna grow a pair of balls and stand up to them
25 …. IF any of ye have COVID would you share it with me? Maybe ill recover and be allowed dine indoors or be allowed access to the same ‘luxuries’ as the rest of society.
I’m fully vaccinated so apparently I’m golden.
Will I be eating indoors in the foreseeable?
WILL I F₩(¥…
FFS…
Crazy.
Roll up roll up, get your vaccination certs here. Buy vaccination and EU Travel Passport together and get 25% discount.
Has to be done eventually. Once its available to everyone, refusing a vaccine without good reason is the most selfish thing you can do in this unequal world where others would kill for a vaccine.
@Paul Cunningham: totally agree. Wait till they realize that they cannot to out for a meal or travel then they will be beating the door down for a vaccine.
Absolute shambles. You have to ask the question is there a serious case of group think or are they getting independent validation on these figures. How can businesses plan in any shape or form? “Nobody escapes the Spanish inquisition”, well NPHET does.
Typical….they haven’t got a clue ha ha ha ☹
I have no problem with this policy if vaccines were available for everyone. Unfortunately we are only at the 35-39 age group, and unsurprisingly that’s a huge amount of our hospitality workforce under 40. Should have waited until they were fully available to implement a policy like this.
Did not see that coming at all….
soooooooooooooooo, you can go in if you have both jabs/
Will the staff IN the restaurant have had both jabs?
Otherwise the whole exercise is a waste of time,
Lets face it – they (who are setting the parameters) have no idea what they are doing
Can they not just do 24/7 for a couple of weeks and get us all out of the way.
World champions borrowers not with my money. Bye bye
@Twitruser2021: A proper government is need fast in our country.SF is the only option people,get these pension grabbers out of office asap and have our country run the correct way.
Safety first and foremost.
Are communions and confos off, I have confo in 2 weeks
@Mandy Byrne Simpson: Yes
We are going to be in perpetual lockdown, this is not going away anytime soon. Today it is the Delta variant, next year it will be Theta, what we going to lockdown every time this happens?!? Here I thought the reason for the original lockdown was to get our hospital service ready for the onslaught except they never did that. Oh they won’t grow a pair and make a decision, yet another date on the 19th, then another, then another. If you going to lockdown, do it for 6 more months and get it over and done with, stop pussy footing around the decision. Rant over!!!
The restaurant owners are desperate for their businesses to reopen. Yet if we carried on with opening on the 5th that would mean anyone could dine in no questions asked, and apperently this delta is able to infect people m uch easier , this thing would go rampant. The alternative is not to open at all, and then more businesses losing money etc. It would be more in the government’s line to put all their efforts into getting those aged 60-70 their second vaccines ASAP, my mother had her first 8 weeks ago and I’m sure I’m not the only one anxious about someone close to them !
Does this mean that all the staff have to be vaccinated as well? It would be a bit pointless if this was not the case.
@Marie Prendergast: get the young people vaccinated as soon as possible. Just look around at the businesses that are open, it is mainly young adults that are in the forefront – in the shops, supermarkets the pubs and restaurants that are lucky enough to open, albeit outside dining. Why can’t they be vaccinated in tandem with the older cohort – working from both ends of the age profiles.
P off u utter
Careful now….
Sooooooooo ? Just to get this latest instruction straight, If I have had both vaccine jabs, I can sit in – in a restaurant and be served by someone who may not have had a vaccine jab, but that person may not sit in the restaurant.
Oh I forgot, if I stay in an hotel, I can go to the restaurant, vaccine jabs or not !!!!!
This is yet another shambles from our Government
Nanny state communism using the hospitality industry leverage so people can take the jab well does the Bible say about the end time but evil men shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life
have your say