Covid-19: Republic of Ireland to use indoor hospitality vaccine pass

The Irish government is delaying the return of some indoor activities, including hospitality, over increasing cases of the Delta Covid-19 variant.

Indoor hospitality was due to reopen on 5 July.

When it reopens, it will be limited to those who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19, Taoiseach (Irish PM) Micheál Martin has said.

The recommendation was made by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

The Irish cabinet met on Tuesday morning to consider the plans.

Mr Martin said while there would be an increase in the number of people who could attend outdoor events and the number who can attend weddings would be increased to 50 as planned, "the return to other indoor activities including hospitality will be delayed".

"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 the return of indoor hospitality is to limit access to those who have been fully vaccinated or who have recovered from Covid infection," he said.

"Over the course of the coming weeks, the government will work urgently with the relevant sectors to agree a practical and workable approach.

"The simple truth is that we are in a race between the variants and the vaccines and we want to do everything we can to ensure that the vaccine wins."

Mr Martin said he knew his announcement of the delay would be greeted with dismay and frustration.

He said the tourism and hospitality sectors had borne a disproportionate burden throughout the pandemic and in recognition of this additional supports would be provided in the coming weeks.

The taoiseach gave no date for when indoor dining and drinking in pubs and restaurants would resume.

Restaurateurs and publicans expressed their anger and frustration at Mr Martin's comments.

Cathal Doherty, who owns the Ballyliffin Townhouse Boutique Hotel in County Donegal, said many in the hospitality sector would view Tuesday's announcement as unworkable.

"We obviously have to wait for the full published guidance, but it will be interesting to see how they [the government] can even begin to possibly explain this," Mr Doherty said.

"It's beyond confusing, we just seem to be going backwards."

Mr Doherty believes for many small businesses across Ireland the delay for reopening will be seen as the "final nail in the coffin".

"If we [the hospitality sector] don't start getting a decent trade in summer then many small businesses are simply not going to make it until winter," he said.

"That is the hard truth, this has caused more challenges than solutions," he added.

Martina Barrett, who owns The Tavern in Portnoo, County Donegal, labelled the proposed rules as "absolutely ridiculous".

Ms Barnett explained that many of her staff, who are in their early 20s, have not even received their first Covid-19 jab and questioned how her pub could operate.

"It's just impossible to police, and once again this decision has left us unclear as to what to do next," she explained.

Labour leader Alan Kelly said the plan was "bananas and discriminatory".

He said what the government is proposing was not enforceable and people under 30 were shocked that they had been "jettisoned".

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall also said the plans were unworkable and unenforceable.

Independent TD Mattie McGrath called on the government to dispense with the services of NPHET.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said it was intended to agree a plan by 19 July in consultation with the hospitality industry to allow those who are vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 to use indoor hospitality.

The Cabinet Covid Committee had a meeting which lasted until 01:00 local time on Tuesday.

During the meeting, the NPHET gave some warnings to the Irish government on Monday, including a "most pessimistic" scenario of hundreds of thousands of cases between July and September and more than 2,000 deaths with Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar said the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson vaccines would now be offered to all age groups after being previously limited to over-50s.

The plans have been criticised by the Restaurants Association of Ireland, which said it was "astounded" that indoor hospitality would face a further delay.

In a statement, the group said it believed the policy was discriminatory and unworkable.

"Restaurant, pub and café owners will now be placed in the unenviable, complex and difficult position of allowing vaccinated customers enter indoors and restricting non-vaccinated customers to outdoor dining," its chief executive Adrian Cummins said.

"Such a practice of refusing access to goods and services in currently illegal under equality acts."

He added that many people working in the hospitality sector were in the unvaccinated age groups, and could potentially be asked to refuse service to their peers.

Outdoor hospitality in the Republic has been reopen since 7 June, with social distancing and restrictions on the number of people who can meet in place.

In Northern Ireland, indoor hospitality reopened on 24 May, with restrictions in place on the number of people and households able to meet.

Non-essential international travel is expected to resume on 19 July and the cabinet is also expected to give the green light to increasing the number of wedding guests to 50 next month.