New guidelines are expected to focus heavily on ventilation.
New guidelines on the resumption of indoor and outdoor dining are set to be released by Fáilte Ireland today with a 105-minute time limit expected on indoor visits to pubs and restaurants. A distance of one metre between tables and a limit of six people on every booking for both indoor and outdoor sittings is also expected, but there will be no time limit on outdoor dining.
According to the
Irish Times, sources reveal that the guidelines are expected to have a major focus on ventilation and we could see the return of indoor dining as soon as July.
Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast the CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Adrian Cummins, welcomed the news saying it will be similar to the reopening last year with some exceptions: “The indications are that the guidelines will be, there or thereabouts, the same as last year for indoor hospitality, but the difference for outdoor hospitality will be that there will be no time limits for people.”
He added: “Obviously, we know hotels are going to open on June 2nd next week for indoors. We would like to open in line with hotels because there is no difference between a hotel restaurant and an independent restaurant next door to them.”
This comes ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Friday where an announcement on further easing of restrictions is expected from the Government.
Outdoor dining and beer gardens will be returning from June 7.
