Harris: We have had no new warnings from NPHET to delay indoor dining

THERE has been no new advice from NPHET warning the Government to scrap plans for indoor dining despite surging Covid case numbers, Minister Simon Harris has confirmed.

Cabinet ministers will meet tomorrow to finalise plans to allow fully vaccinated people or those who have recovered from Covid-19 to dine indoors in bars and restaurants.

Children under 18 will also be allowed to dine with their vaccinated parents under the new proposal.

Contentious legislation limiting indoor dining to fully vaccinated people passed both stages in the Dáil and Seanad last week and is currently on the desk of President Michael D Higgins. He has between five and seven days to make a decision on whether to sign the Bill into law.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar confirmed last week that indoor dining will resume by July 26 at the latest.

It’s understood the 105-minute time limit for dining will be scrapped as Fáilte Ireland finalises its guidelines.

Despite concern over the Delta variant and the increasing number of Covid-19 cases across the country, Higher Education Minister Mr Harris confirmed that indoor dining is on track to resume as planned.

‘The Government hasn’t received any new advice from the Public Health Emergency Team [NPHET] that would suggest we should do anything other than proceed along the basis we are planning to do so,’ he said.

‘We are probably the last country in the European Union to reopen indoor hospitality and we are probably reopening in the most conservative manner possible. In most European countries, anybody can dine indoors. In some European countries, anybody can dine indoors if they have a negative antigen test.

‘Here in Ireland, the requirements, for the time being, will be that you can only dine indoors if you’re fully vaccinated. We are taking a very prudent, very cautious approach... I think it’s important that we try to open things in a sustainable way.’