Restaurants and Gastropubs in Clare and across the country are likely to be forced to close before the New Year, amid concern over rising Covid cases.
The National Public Health Emergency Team has made a number of recommendations to Government as the virus is growing faster than anticipated and the Taoiseach says it’s likely the country will be at level 3 plus at the beginning of January.
A decision will be made on Tuesday, but Clare’s Fianna Fáil TD believes a balance can be struck between protecting public health and the health of the economy.
On the day that travel restrictions have been lifted for the first time in months, all eyes are already turning to the next set of restrictions.
With the number of new cases rising the government will cut short the easing of restrictions in place over Christmas.
Instead of lasting until January 6th, the tighter measures will come into place between the 28th and 30th of December.
This is expected to be a ‘Level Three Max’ model, so not quite a lockdown, although limits on household gatherings will be re-introduced and pubs and restaurants will have to close.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin says it’s in reaction to the rising number of cases across the country over the last few weeks.
The rate of the virus has continued to fall in all areas of Clare over the past fortnight however.
The latest figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre show the Ennis, Ennistymon and Kilrush electoral areas have all recorded less than five cases each in the two weeks up to last Monday, the 14th of December.
The Shannon area recorded 14 cases in those two weeks, while the in the Killaloe region, there were just 7 cases diagnosed in the past fortnight.
Clare’s Fianna Fáil TD has previously advocated for regionalisation and while he says revolving restrictions are not sustainable, a balance can be struck between protecting public health and the health of the economy.
He believes there will be pressure on some sectors right up until the vaccine is rolled out.
A Clare hotelier has described the proposed changes to restrictions as a hammer blow for the hospitality sector.
Owner of the Woodstock Hotel in Ennis, Sean Lally insists that closing restaurants and gastropubs over the Christmas period will create an even bigger problem, by encouraging people to hold house parties.
