Hospitality sector to face restrictions from December 30 but inter-county travel to continue

Pedestrians in Cork city centre earlier this month. Picture: Denis Minihane.

Restrictions to restaurants, pubs serving food, and other hospitality settings will not kick in until December 30, the Government will announce on Tuesday.

At a meeting of Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan last night, it was agreed to eschew the recommendation of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) to introduce such restrictions on December 28.