Hospitality to close from 8pm under new measures

TAOISEACH Micheal Martin this evening announced an 8pm closing time for hospitality under a raft of new measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 over Christmas.

Under the new measures, which come into effect from midnight on Sunday, all restaurants and bars, excluding takeaways or delivery services, must close at 8pm.

According to the new measures, there should be no indoor events after 8pm.

For indoor events scheduled earlier in the day, attendance should be limited to 50 per cent of venue capacity or 1,000 people, whichever is lower.

Attendance at all outdoor events should be limited to 50 per cent of venue capacity or 5,000 people, whichever is lower.

Wedding receptions can take place after 8pm but with a capacity limit of 100 guests.

Restricted movement advice for all close contacts will be enhanced.

For those who have received a booster at least one week ago, they will have to restrict movement for five days and take three antigen tests.

For those that have not yet received a booster, they must restrict their movement for ten days.

The HSE will consider the best testing regime for people in this category.

All persons arriving into the State from overseas will continue to be required to have an antigen or PCR tests in line with their vaccination/recovery or unvaccinated status.

All passengers arriving in Ireland are now advised to conduct antigen testing on a daily basis for a period of five consecutive days commencing on day of arrival.

Restrictions specific to scheduled states where an “emergency brake” has been applied will be adjusted in line with the overall EU approach.

Speaking this evening, Taoiseach Martin said: “We are in a much, much stronger place than where we were last year.

“We have one of the very best vaccination rates in all of the world and our booster programme is powering ahead.”

However, he stressed that with the Omicron variant it is “becoming clear that vaccines on their own will not get us through this wave safely”.

He said: “The European Centre for Disease has in recent days issued very clear guidance that all across Europe there needs to be a very strong and immediate reduction in contacts between people in order to prevent Omicron overwhelming us.”

For further details on the measure in place visit the Gov.ie website HERE .