Outdoor pints will be given the green light for another six months by the Government today.
Hospitality businesses will be hoping for a bonanza summer as ministers are set to pave the way for another season of Mediterranean-style socialising.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee signed a special law during Covid that made it ok to drink on the streets if a bar or restaurant had outdoor seating.
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Ms McEntee will ask her fellow ministers at Cabinet today to approve an extension of the special exemption for another six months - and it’s expected they will give the nod.
It follows another move from the Local Government Minister Darragh O’Brien who last week abolished council fees on street furniture for the rest of the season.
The legislative changes will be welcomed by the hospitality sector who have been calling for the changes to be made permanent.
Dublin's pubgoers and diners embraced a new way of living last summer when we moved our socialising outdoors to accommodate new Covid social distancing rules.
It was advised by health experts that it would be safer if we met up outside and this led to the hospitality sector adapting and customers following.
And it led to great savings for the hospitality businesses too, with council charges exemptions running into thousands of euro for those establishments offering outdoor dining.
The Government played their part by ordering the scrappage of fees charged for placing tables and chairs on the streets.
The fees exemption and the law permitting street drinking have now been extended.
This all led to a ‘Mediterranean’ atmosphere with people eating and drinking outside all across the country last summer and autumn - with some good weather helping out.
A source close to Minister McEntee told the Irish Mirror last night: “The relevant provisions of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021 are due to lapse on May 31st but the Minister will seek a six month extension, which is permitted under the legislation, until the end of November.
“The legislation was first introduced to assist the hospitality sector during Covid but the Minister believes that extending its provisions will support the industry as it continues to recover from the pandemic.
“The legislation applies where outdoor seating areas have been permitted by the relevant local authority on public land, such as a path, or where they are on private land abutting the licensed premises, such as an abutting yard.
“It is the Minister’s intention to bring forward a longer term solution as part of her wider reforms of licensing law.
“The Minister will bring a General Scheme of the Sale of Alcohol Bill to Government before the summer recess.”
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