Taoiseach keen to relax travel restrictions over Christmas

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will not preempt a Government decision on an exit from level 5 on December 1. File picture: Julien Behal

The Taoiseach has said he would like to relax restrictions for travel and home visits over Christmas to offer hope for the festive period.

However, Micheál Martin will not preempt a Government decision on an exit from level 5 on December 1, saying detailed discussions are still to be had.

"We can have a good Christmas if we mind ourselves and mind each other," he said.

It is understood that preliminary discussions between ministers have stressed the need to see inter-county travel bans lifted for the days around December 25 to allow visits, but government sources stress it would not "be a free for all".

"If it goes ahead, people would be asked to limit themselves to a reasonable number of close contacts, and even then, distancing and ventilation would be important," said one minister. 

We have to give people hope.

There is hesitance to make a firm commitment to reopen the economy because the Government wants to avoid making offers it cannot keep.

"We can't tell people that they can have a certain type of Christmas or reopen their business and then take that away if the numbers are worse," said a high-level source.

The final shape of the Christmas week ruling will depend on the rate of the virus spread in the community, but it is understood that a best-case scenario would see the ban on household visits lifted.

However, the public will be asked to limit those gatherings to one day. There will be specific advice on close contact with older or vulnerable family members.

Beyond that, there would be an allowance of a small number of visitors to a home.

Meanwhile, restaurants are pleading for more information about what is to come in December so they can order stock, hire staff, and prepare for reopening. 

Mike Ryan, who operates restaurants in Cork and Limerick, said the industry needs certainty.

"Whether we can open with indoor dining or not will dictate how many staff we need, how much supplies, so we need that clarity," he said. 

"We don't want to rehire workers only to put them back out on the PUP payment a week later."