Restrictions on pubs could be lifted within the next week as the Cabinet meets to discuss the situation with Covid-19 in Ireland.
It comes as a number of Ministers have offered optimistic updates on how the Omicron wave is panning out.
Pubs, restaurants and other hospitality businesses could see the strict 8pm rule lifted over the next week, among other measures being dropped.
Eamon Ryan, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, was among those to offer a positive insight into what lies ahead for businesses.
When asked on Morning Ireland on RTE today whether we would see the 8pm curfew coming to an end next week, he replied: “Yes, I think we need to start bringing back some of our social life. I think that’s important for our health, well-being, welfare.”
The spread of Omicron in Ireland is “following the course we thought it would” and is having a “very rapid downwards spike” with the help of booster vaccinations.
He said: “The position we're in at the moment is a lot better than the one we were in a number of weeks ago, the numbers in ICU have held steady, the health consequences are still significant for some but not to the same level as previous variants.”
Minister Ryan said that depending on what is decided, businesses will be given notice prior to any restrictions being lifted.
He said: “We will be giving people a number of days advanced notice for people to get ready as we start to lift some of the restrictions.
“Towards the end of next week, I expect we will see the start of restrictions being lifted.”
If the Government do decide to go ahead with lifting the 8pm curfew as early as this weekend, the Licensed Vintners Association have said they ‘would make every effort’ to extend opening hours.
Donall O’Keeffe, Chief Executive of the association, said: “Various public health experts and senior representatives of the Government are indicating that the country has entered a new stage of the pandemic, so we are hopeful there will be good news for the reopening of hospitality in the coming days.
"We would like to see the Government moving swiftly and allowing for the recovery of hospitality to begin as soon as possible. In light of the more positive outlook, we would certainly support the return to opening until midnight from as early as this weekend."
This comes as Health Minister Stephen Donnelly told The Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk yesterday that we were in a “very good position” to start considering easing restrictions, though he didn’t want to speculate on what would be first to go.
He said: “I believe we have a duty to relinquish [emergency] powers and to end the difficult restrictions the moment the public health rationale is no longer in support of them.
“The conversation that I’m having with the department and that I’m having with the public health teams is for measures that we continue with, we need an absolutely clear public health rationale for them. Whenever there isn’t a public health rationale, then they should be dispensed with at the earliest possible opportunity.”
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar told the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting that March 31 could be the day that nearly all restrictions will be lifted.
NPHET will meet on Thursday and are expected to update their advice on restrictions to Minister Donnelly, which could see another meeting held by Government on Friday or next Tuesday.
