‘OTT’ and ‘Stasi-like’: how the industry and TDs reacted
THURSDAY
FÁILTE Ireland updates its Guidelines for the Reopening of Pubs, which had been first issued in June. No accompanying press release is issued
12.05PM: The Licensed Vintners Association, for Dublin pubs, tweets a link to Fáilte Ireland’s new guidelines. The LVA comments: ‘Seriously @ Fáilte_Ireland ???? This is ridiculous. Think of the admin burden this is going to create. How is it going to help protect public health knowing what topping was on a customer’s pizza or what way their potatoes were cooked? Complete overreach. 1984 here we come.’
12.36PM: The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) writes on Twitter: ‘New guidelines not only require record be kept of all food ordered but details must be retained for Garda inspection for 28 days. Safety first but this over the top!’
4.30PM: Marc MacSharry (pictured left), Fianna Fáil TD for Sligo-Leitrim, tells RTÉ’s Drivetime that he has written to the Taoiseach and other ministers asking them to alter what he said were the ‘Stasi’like new guidelines. 6.56PM: Restaurants Association of Ireland CEO Adrian Cummins, (pictured below) says he has written to the Data Commissioner seeking her opinion over the data collection issue.
9.35PM: On RTÉ’s Prime Time, junior minister Damien English acknowledges the new rules will mean ‘more hassle’ and ‘more paperwork.’ However, he says the measure was not about what a person ate, but was rather ‘proof that they did eat’ for gardaí to monitor compliance with the regulations.
11PM: Hotel Doolin Ireland in Co. Clare states it will not be recording what its customers have to eat.
YESTERDAY EARLY MORNING:
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar (right) says there is no requirement for restaurants or pubs that are serving food to keep an individual record of what everyone eats. He says it is a requirement that they are able to produce evidence that a substantial meal was served. Taoiseach Micheál Martin tells reporters he believes that there has been an ‘overreaction’ to the new regulations. But Mr Cummins of the Restaurants Association of Ireland tells RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that the measures ‘came out of the blue’ and without any communication or consultation with the industry. Labour leader Alan Kelly tells the same programme the measure is ‘completely bonkers’ and should be reversed. On RTÉ’s News at One, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly (above) says the only place the new regulations will be used is in pubs that do not serve food and are flouting the rules.