The Government is set to reject advice from the State’s public health experts and allow restaurants and gastropubs to reopen in December while also permitting household visits.
The Cabinet Covid-19 sub-committee met for five hours on Thursday night and proposed that much of the hospitality sector should be allowed to reopen from December 7th onwards.
Senior sources said there would be tighter rules including cutting the time allowed at a table and cutting the number of people allowed to sit together in restaurants.
It is unlikely that household visits will recommence next week, though rules on this will change from December 18th while travel restrictions would also be removed allowing people to leave their county.