Eamon Ryan 'hopeful' hospitality can resume in June

The Transport Minister says that he is "hopeful" that inter-county travel can resume in the next few weeks.

Speaking in Dublin today, Eamon Ryan said that the Government hopes to be able to see the return of hospitality in June, with domestic tourism linked to that. 

That would also see the end of the inter-county travel ban, allowing people to move around the country for the first time this year. He added that foreign travel could be included by the end of the summer.

"We hope we can get hospitality back in June and domestic tourism can come back. I think that's something we're keen to do. Even that, it could be a staged basis, so it could be outside dining first and then indoor at a later stage.

"Included in that will be aviation, we will introduce a mechanism where vaccinated people will be able to avoid quarantine upon their return to Ireland so that'll make a major difference.

"Opening up hospitality goes together with inter-county travel so that'll hopefully be June."

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The Green Party leader said that this evening's Cabinet sub-committee meeting will see a "staged" re-opening of society announced.

"We've been signalling for a long time that it'll be personal services coming back, all other construction works, church services and so on.

"I think what's worked in the last few months is where it's been staged - for example, the return of golf and stuff earlier this week. I believe it'll be the same as that, a staged re-opening."

Taoiseach Micheál Martin last night told the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party that June will see a focus on the opening of hotels, B&Bs, guest houses, self-catering accommodation and mobile homes.