Tickets will be needed for nightclubs with guidelines reviewed in three weeks

Ms Martin formally announced revised reopening plans for the hospitality and live entertainment sectors, which will take effect from today. File picture: Pexels

Standing at gigs will be allowed under new guidelines issued this evening, but nightclubs will have to be all-ticket from next week.

The anomaly of dancing being allowed in nightclubs but not at gigs was criticised when the latest easing of restrictions was announced on Tuesday, but has been rectified after a meeting between Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Minister Catherine Martin and the sector this evening.

Ms Martin formally announced revised reopening plans for the hospitality and live entertainment sectors, which will take effect from today.

She said that while the “viable return of the night time economy” is welcomed by business and staff, Covid “is still a real threat to our society”.

For nightclubs, Ms Martin confirmed that they can reopen with full capacity and dancing without masks will be allowed.

Live music events can have a standing capacity of 1,500 and full capacity if the event is fully seated.

A Covid cert is also required for admission to all venues operating for the purposes of live entertainment and nightclubs.

Ticketing is required, for the purposes of contact tracing, for all nightclubs and venues and will be the subject of regulations to be put in place next week, Ms Martin confirmed.

Face coverings are still required at all times for employees in front-facing roles, and by all patrons other than when they are seated at their table or when dancing, drinking or eating in permitted live entertainment or nightclub venues.

Ms Martin confirmed that restrictions on opening hours on licensed premises have been removed and weddings can operate without any capacity restrictions.

The Minister said that the guidelines “are necessary to balance public health while also facilitating the reopening of all sectors”.

She added: “It is vitally important that each venue operator utilises their skilled health and safety expertise, and exercises judgement and caution with due regard to protecting public health.” 

Ms Martin confirmed that the measures will be reviewed in three weeks.

Sources said that the briefing was told that tickets have to be purchased online in advance with lobby groups led to believe that this means 24 to 72 hours. However, Departmental sources said that this was not the case and it could be as little as 10 minutes.

It is also understood the ticket requirement will be in force for all live music, including where a pub has been open through the day but has decided to put on music in the evening.

'Shambolic'

A spokesperson for the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) said the plan is "Keystone Cops meets Father Ted stuff and completely unworkable".

Donall O’Keeffe, Chief Executive of the LVA, hit out at the Government, saying: “The very fact that this bombshell was dropped on the trade at 6.30pm on the very evening they reopen after 585 days of closure shows how appalling the Government planning for our reopening has been.”

The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) described the process as "shambolic" and said the plans will lead to "confusion among both staff and customers and will be impossible to implement."

Padraig Cribben, VFI Chief Executive, said the Government appears "to be all over the place with no practical knowledge of how the sector operates".

“We’re extremely worried the new guidelines will lead to public order incidents as ticketless groups gather outside clubs. It is unworkable."

Mr Cribben added that the sector "deserves better" after being constrained for so long.