Government undermining Covid plan three days after publication – LVA

A number of industry bodies say the Government is damaging the credibility of the new Covid framework in its approach to Dublin

There are zero open outbreaks in pubs, with eight open outbreaks in restaurant settings.

The Government is in danger of undermining its own plan three days after publication if it follows NPHET recommendations banning indoor dining in restaurants and pubs in Dublin, industry bodies claim.

If the Government limit pubs that serve food and restaurants to outdoor seating only when they adjust regional restrictions for Dublin, it would mean “most of Dublin would be on Level 3, pubs that serve food and restaurants would be on Level 4 and non-food pubs will be on Level 5," the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) said.

Chief Executive of the LVA Donall O’Keeffe said this would mean adopting a “pick and mix approach to the new national strategy", rendering it "meaningless.” 

“How is Irish society meant to function if the levels outlined in this plan are disregarded by it own authors within a matter of days?” he said.

“They said this new plan was to offer the country and businesses certainty. At the announcement, they said the country was at Level 2 but they were putting the non-food pubs of Dublin into Level 5 by keeping them closed. Now it looks like they are about to move most of Dublin to Level 3 but the pubs and restaurants will be put in Level 4.” 

Mr O’Keefe also said the LVA are seeking clarity as to why NPHET and the Government are “continuing to take action against the hospitality sector when the latest HSPC data clearly shows this isn’t where the problem lies.” 

Chief Executive of the LVA Donall O’Keeffe said a “pick and mix approach" to the new national strategy would rendering it "meaningless.” Picture: Mac Innes      

The latest HSPC data shows there are zero open outbreaks associated with pubs, with eight open cases in restaurants. This compares to 61 open outbreaks in other workplaces and more than 500 open outbreaks in private homes.

"It is pubs and restaurants who have abided by the regulations since the outset of this crisis which are the focus of additional restrictions. On what basis does that approach make sense?” 

“At some point is NPHET going to be asked to justify these recommendations?” he asked.

Other industry bodies have also questioned why hospitality sectors were being singled out, with the Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI), Adrian Cummins also pointing to the relatively minuscule number of outbreaks linked to hospitality settings and asking why they were being made “pay for the sins of others.” 

Ibec CEO Danny McCoy said it was difficult to see the logic for such a recommendation based on the transmissions data that is currently in the public domain.

He questioned why NPHET’s recommendations disproportionately target one sector of the economy at such short notice “given the costly implications for managing perishable stock and workforce planning and the hardship this will mean for many employees, particularly given recent social welfare changes.” 

He also said, “a knee jerk escalation” of business closures in Dublin would undermine the credibility of the Government’s new Covid framework.

“It would damage the certainty which the framework was supposed to deliver and is worrying for businesses in all sectors of the economy across the entire country," he said.