May 'too soon' for return of outdoor hospitality despite weekend's public gatherings

The beach in Salthill, Galway, thronged with teenagers during the weekend's fine weather. Photo: Andy Newman

There is unlikely to be any opening of outdoor hospitality in May, even though Vintners pointed out the public has already returned to outdoor socialising.

The good weather over the weekend saw people gathering outdoors across the country, prompting calls for the opening of pub beer gardens and outdoor dining to ensure these gatherings are safer.

However, while some in the Cabinet accept that the public will continue to socialise outdoors, a return of hospitality in the coming weeks is thought of as too risky to the overall fight against Covid-19.

The Government will this week lay out the next steps in Ireland's roadmap to re-opening society, with priority being given to the opening of non-essential retail and the full resumption of construction next month and hospitality to resume in June or July.

The hospitality sector called for the re-opening of its businesses from May 24, saying more supervised gatherings of people would be safer.

The Licensed Vintners Association said the Government’s choice comes down to "whether they want controlled outdoor socialising in managed settings with clear social distancing and other public health protocols followed, or uncontrolled socialising on streets and other public locations across the country".

LVA believes the Gov’s choice comes down to whether they want controlled outdoor socialising in managed settings with clear social distancing & other public health protocols, or uncontrolled socialising on streets and other public locations #OpenTogetherhttps://t.co/8FMsmQA3QC

— LVA (@LVADublinPubs) April 25, 2021

"The Government risks being left behind by the public if they do not permit outdoor service to resume for all hospitality next month,” said Donall O’Keeffe, chief executive of the LVA. “The levels of outdoor socialising are going to rise either way in the coming weeks as the weather gets milder and the public health situation improves."

However, while one senior minister said the Government must "give clarity" to the hospitality sector about when it will be able to open in Thursday's announcement, May will likely be "too soon".

"I think it's important not to underestimate the scale of the re-opening which is planned," the minister said. "If we open all the shops, personal services and construction, that is a huge number of people returning to work at once. That will make things feel a lot more open around towns."

Within government there is a growing confidence that the vaccine rollout will allow Ireland to be substantially re-opened by mid to late summer. However, one minister cautioned that restrictions on gatherings will likely be the norm until at least the last months of the year.

The weekend's scenes also brought calls for more public facilities in towns and cities. Councillors from across the country and political spectrum called on local authorities to provide more bins, toilets and breastfeeding facilities as the public makes more use of outdoor open spaces.

Portobello last night. We have to do a whole lot better. This can’t continue, even in the short term. pic.twitter.com/KrwuDfFIH9

— James Geoghegan TD (@jgeoghegantd) April 25, 2021

Fine Gael's Colm O’Rourke, a councillor on Dublin City Council, said the litter left behind over the weekend had local residents "at their wits' end".

“Some locals, including myself, have had to clean up along the canal because this issue is getting worse, but it shouldn't have to be like this - everyone has to play their part, and those who create the mess need to remember that they should take care of that mess."

In Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, all six Green Party councillors have written to the chief executive calling for the urgent introduction of public facilities to tackle challenges such as littering, anti-social behaviour, and lack of public toilets.