The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland claimed that Publicans have no interest in opening “just for two weeks over Christmas” before having to close again.
Padraig Cribben, chief executive of the group, said Government plans to reopen parts of society should not just be focused on the festive period. He said there has to be a plan into January and February .
Mr Cribben also said returning to Level 3 Covid-19 restrictions is not viable and not practical if that is the Government’s plan come December.
Under Level 3, bars and pubs serving food can open for take-away and delivery as well as serve a maximum of 15 customers outdoors.
He said people are going to socialise over Christmas and questioned whether it will be “in the home with no masks and no social distancing or in the controlled environment of a pub”.
Mr Cribben said there will be a demand for pubs and the broader it is spread out, the better.
He also outlined that levels of infection in border counties is four times higher in the north than the south and the people in the south are likely to go to hotels and pubs in the north and thus will bring the virus to the north.
Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien rejected that would happen. He said the Government will be engaging with those in the hospitality sector and then come to a “responsible” decision.
Minister O’Brien also said a Covid-19 vaccine will be a “game changer” and its rollout has to be a priority for Government for 2021.
Independent TD Denis Naughten told Saturday with Katie Hannon that lockdowns are a “blunt instrument” and while they stop the rate of infection, “we don’t know which aspects work or not”.
He suggested to drop Level 5 strategy and bring in a new model that will open up as much of society as possible and ensure the next wave does not bring a lockdown.
He said that data in terms of laboratories, contact tracing and hospitalisations must be looked into and analysed to see what reduces the spread of infection.