Micheál Martin: Government 'made a commitment' to hospitality reopening but formal decision to be made this week

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that the Government intends to follow through on its commitment to open indoor hospitality on July 26 as things stand, but a formal decision will be made during the week. 

Speaking at the official opening of People’s Park in Haulbowline this afternoon, he said that the Government have made a commitment to reopen indoor dining no later than July 26.

Meet with Nphet over plans for coming months

Mr Martin is due to meet with the Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan and Chair of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group Professor Philip Nolan next week where “very serious consideration in terms of how we plan for August and how we plan for September” will be given.

“We do have to do some analysis of those which we are doing in terms of both the expected rise in numbers and how we can combat it as well," he said. "Obviously, vaccinations are the most effective tool and we’re doing very well on that and we will continue with that and people should take the vaccines as they are offered to them.

“I do think we’re in a different stage of the pandemic compared to six months ago, compared to this time last year, and that will then have to inform how we approach it." 

Commitment 

When asked if the reopening of indoor dining would go ahead on July 26, he said that “Government obviously have made a commitment in that regard, no later than the 26th”.

He said that the current situation in terms of rising cases will be considered at a meeting of the Government on Wednesday “in terms of formally deciding on these issues” but as things now stand, travel will commence on Monday and indoor hospitality will return at the end of the month.

Need to stick to rules 

Celebrating the opening of an amenity, one of many in Cork that were of huge importance to people when restricted to travelling a certain distance from their homes, the Taoiseach said he does not see the country finding itself in a similar situation again due to the successful vaccination rollout but warned that people must “adhere to the rules and regulations” going forward.

“I think the indoor dining is for those who are vaccinated and it is in line with public health advice in terms of the differentiation between the vaccinated and unvaccinated and what will be extremely important is that people adhere to that and adhere to the rules and regulations.

“I think one of the key objectives is to protect the reopening that we so far succeeded in bringing about, we started off with schools and childcare, the construction, personal services, retail, outdoor hospitality, so it’s about consolidating all of that and we intend to do that but it will take a collective effort all our behalf to do that,” he said.

Mr Martin, however, said that he has been concerned for quite some time about the Delta variant and said that the situation in respect of the variant is “serious”.

“All of us have to be vigilant in terms of our individual behaviours, personal behaviour because this is a further twist on the road of Covid-19. 

"It’s a serious one, there will be a high volume of cases and the case numbers will continue to grow and we’re going to keep a very close eye on the hospitalisation that results from that and illnesses that result from that and mortality of course,” he said.