Plan to restrict indoor hospitality to fully vaccinated 'completely bananas'

The Government's announcement on plans to allow only fully vaccinated people partake in indoor hospitality has been blasted as 'completely bananas' and discriminatory. File picture: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie

The Government's announcement on plans to allow only fully vaccinated people partake in indoor hospitality has been blasted as "completely bananas" and discriminatory.

Labour's Alan Kelly told the Dáil the plans would be unenforceable.

"The Cabinet decision announced earlier on reopening businesses is absolutely bananas. It is discriminatory and it is unenforceable. It is shocking stuff. It is amateur hour," he said.

"When did Government discrimination become the norm in Ireland?

The Labour leader added: "The Government is saying to young people today that we are all in this together except when it gets to a stage where those of us who have been vaccinated want to get out and enjoy ourselves this summer.

"The Government will have to look at this again immediately. Another Cabinet meeting should be called and it should consider another proposal."

No plan

Sinn Féin's health spokesperson David Cullinane said the announcement "does not sit easy" with him and said the Government had announced it had no plan.

"There are practical issues in terms of its enforcement. There are fairness issues obviously that arise. For the last number of weeks we've known that this variant is a real concern. 

"It was over a month ago, when I proposed and others in opposition proposed that the Government should relook at the vaccine rollout and look at a mix and match of vaccines for the over 60s and look at ways of accelerating the rollout."

Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath called for the Government to "dispense with" both Nphet and the National Immunisation Advisory Council, criticising both as "unelected experts".

Independent TD Catherine Connolly said the proposal was "totally unacceptable" and would cost the Government and overall public health measures support from young people.

Áontu's Peadar Tóibín said the decision was "an absolute disgrace".

"Many of these pubs and restaurants are closed for over 430 days," he said.