Clare publicans are holding a demonstration this morning to highlight the plight of small business owners in the pub trade, who have been forced to close for the past six months.
The protest, which is being organised by the VFI in Clare along with members in other constituencies, will be held outside the offices of Clare’s Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe and Fine Gael TD Joe Carey from 10am.
A letter calling on the Government to publish the final guidelines and a definitive date for re-opening in advance, to allow publicans to make necessary preparations, will be presented to the two TDs.
It comes as new draft guidelines for the reopening of all pubs have been drawn up by Fáilte Ireland.
Pubs will only be able to serve people at tables when they reopen, but there’ll be no time limit on sittings, while all customers will have to be off the premises by half past eleven.
Chief Executive of the Licensed Vintners’ Association, Donal O’Keeffe says publicans now need a date to prepare reopening:
