PUBS, BARS and nightclubs won’t reopen in Ireland until August under government plans for easing Ireland’s lockdown restrictions.
From August 10, social establishments will be allowed to begin trading again along with cinemas, casinos and theatres.
The plans come as part of the Government roadmap for returning to the “new normal”.
It remain ssubject to ongoing advice from the HSE on whether the virus remains under control.
Under the plan, the gradual reopening of Ireland will roll out across five planned phases introduced every three weeks.
The reopening of pubs comes as part of the fifth and final phase – something that his angered some in the pub industry including the Licensed Vintners Association.
They believe pubs are being discriminated against under the plans.
In particular, they are angry that restaurants will allowed to reopen six weeks earlier than pubs and bars.
"We're bitterly disappointed really, pubs are being treated as second-class citizens, they are the last channel in the hospitality sector to open,” Chief Executive Donall O'Keeffe said.
"We are calling on them to work with us on a re-opening plan for pubs.
"Social distancing challenges are the same for all hospitality businesses and all hospitality businesses should be able to open at the same time.”
The Government has been keen to stress that while the five-phase plan has been put in place to help ease the public back to normality, any suggestion of a resurgence in cases of coronavirus will see restrictions reintroduced.
