ONEAND it might not be wishfull thinking .....The Cabinet is expected to ease Covid-19 restrictions on outdoor gatherings to allow up to 500 people at events.
However, there is bad news for nightclubs owners, with senior government figures insisting they will not be given the clearance to reopen when ministers meet on Tuesday to discuss easing of restrictions.
Pubs may be permitted to open under strict new guidelines but the rising number of new cases in recent days has raised fresh doubts over whether the Government will give them the green light.
"Nightclubs will be a while off," a Cabinet minister said, before adding: "Pubs are looking shaky after the last two days." Another senior minister said the reopening of pubs is "up in the air" but suggested a solution may be found to allow rural pubs to reopen.
"We could restrict the numbers of people allowed in, so the rural pubs could have their regulars. They might not be able to do a €9 meal but they will be able to socially distance in a way the big super-pubs and disco bars wouldn't," the minister added.
The Government postponed fully moving into the final stage of the plan over fears about an increase in the spread of the coronavirus.
A large rise in cases last week caused concern among ministers ahead of a crucial Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
The Government's key focus for August is the reopening of primary and secondary schools and the Taoiseach has indicated pubs and nightclubs may lose out to ensure children can return to education.
Yesterday, a senior government source said the "priority" is still to open schools and the Cabinet will take into consideration the figures for new Covid cases over the weekend and tomorrow before they make a final decision on easing restrictions.
The source said the Government would draft new rules in consultation with vintners if they were to give pubs permission to reopen without serving food. The source said any rules introduced would be closely monitored to ensure publicans were adhering to the guidelines. However, they emphasised no decision had been taken on whether they could reopen or not.
Yesterday, publicans warned there will be permanent closures if pubs are not allowed to open on August 10.
The Government is also monitoring the situation in other EU countries, where second waves of the virus have already emerged.
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