Publicans get ready to meet brewing demand, but fear 'policing' vaccine certs

Killarney town has embraced outdoor dining with pedestrianisation and extended footpaths. 

With the news that indoor dining will reopen to the public from next week, bar and restaurant owners are busy restocking to meet demand — but have expressed reservations about how vaccine certificates will be policed.

New laws will have to be rushed through the Oireachtas this week, in order to allow premises open before Friday, July 23.

Customers looking to enjoy a drink or meal indoors will need to show proof of vaccination or proof that they have recovered from Covid-19 within the past six months by way of a QR code.

Jono Crute of Crew Brewing Company, a microbrewery and pub located on Thomas St in Limerick, is one of the few publicans who will not be stressing over getting in stock, partly due to the fact he brews much of his own beer.

“Stock-wise we're kind of set," he said. 

"It wouldn't be much of a change from outdoors to indoors. So we have a lot of our own beer ready and we have a lot of other people's beer so whatever happens, we'll be ready.” 

Mr Crute said there has been a lack of information regarding what will be expected of bars and restaurants when it comes to the policing of the vaccine certificates upon entry. He said the information he did have, he had only received through the media.

"Obviously, there are concerns about our staff having to deal with anybody who's going to give them grief over the regulations that we didn't come up with," he said.

"But I also appreciate that they're trying to find some way to allow people to dine indoors safely, so it is a tough situation." 

Jerry Behan, owner of Horseshoe Bar and Restaurant in Listowel, Co Kerry, says the proposed opening dates, given for next week, are very short notice — something which Mr Behan says has been a common trend with Government announcements over the past couple of months.

“They are giving people no chance to get organised with regards to stock and everything,” he said.

Mr Behan said the proposed vaccine passport is going to be extremely difficult to oversee.

“What happens if two people come to your door and one is vaccinated and the other isn’t, what do you do then? Do you just leave in the one who is vaccinated?” he said.

Mr Behan says that until they are given firm answers to how the systems will work, bar and restaurant owners are playing a waiting game.

“They have treated the publicans of this country very wrong, if you ask me,” he said.

Claire Nash of Nash 19.

Claire Nash, who owns and runs Nash 19 on Cork’s Princes St, imagines that the vaccine passport will provide some headaches for those policing it, particularly when it comes to group bookings. However, she looks forward to opening indoors all the same.

“We would love to see a situation that we didn't have to police this vaccine passport,” she said.

“But we do what we have to do. That's the way I feel about it, anyway. Princes St is lucky that we are trading, but it's exhausting trading in a different landscape than we're used to.”