Test events for live music and sport to take place next month

The Big Tent in Sefton Park, Liverpool, where test live music events took place in recent weeks. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

The Tourism Minister wants to run test mass gathering events in sports and live music by the end of next month.

Catherine Martin said that she will bring a list of live events to Nphet on Thursday for advice on how pilots could be run safely. She said that these will range from live music, to comedy, to theatre and sport.

The numbers allowed at these events will vary, she said, but said that it could be as high as 5,000, following the example of similar events staged in Liverpool and Barcelona in recent weeks.

These live events are key to reviving a sector which has been devastated and I want to see them reopen their doors and reopen for good.

Ms Martin said that sports events across the sector will be trialled and she wants to see this done in June, with antigen testing "given consideration" as a means to see people back in music venues or stadiums.

On Friday, the Government will set out the next steps in the country's reopening, with moves in events, hospitality and tourism most keenly watched - all areas under Ms Martin's remit.

On tourism, Ms Martin said that she wants to see Ireland adopt the EU green certificate "as soon as possible" and wants to see it implemented within a fortnight of going live at the start of July. She said that domestic tourism "cannot replace" the business brought by foreign visitors. However, she said that the prospect of US and UK visitors being allowed use the EU system was "probably a little further away".

The two-metre rule in restaurants will be ended when they reopen for outdoor dining on June 7, the minister also confirmed.

Full guidance

Ms Martin said that full guidance for the hospitality industry will be available "early this week" but confirmed the speculated move halving the distance needed between diners. Diners will also not face time limits, she said.

However, Ms Martin could not give any reassurance to the industry that it would be allowed resume indoor dining on July 1, as it has called for.

Overall, she said that she expected "a good announcement" around traditional pubs which have been left out of supports made available for outdoor dining. She said that she has sought a support scheme similar to the €17m fund announced in March which will allow pubs which do serve food and restaurants receive up to €4,000 each for improvements to their outdoor areas.

Ms Martin said that it was vital that the hospitality sector got "more guidance and clarity" in Friday's announcement. She said that one example of this was hotels which have asked whether an increase in numbers at wedding ceremonies meant an increase of guest numbers permitted to attend the wedding reception.