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 Ireland had the second highest incidence rate of COVID-19 in Europe
just last week but also one of the continent's highest uptake of
booster vaccines, which has helped keep the number of seriously ill
people well below the previous peak.
An 8 p.m curfew on the hospitality sector could be lifted as soon as
this weekend, alongside the ditching of vaccines passes with
capacity in indoor and outdoor venues also set to return to full
capacity, including for next month's Six Nations rugby championship,
local media reported.
Ministers have said previously said that some measures, such as the
need to wear a mask on public transport or in shops, are likely to
remain in place beyond the ending of the restrictions put in place
late last year when the Omicron wave struck.
"I think it is reasonable to expect that we will be able to exit the
regulations on a faster basis than would have looked likely a number
of days ago," Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe told national
broadcaster RTE late on Thursday.
The changes would put Ireland back in line with British-run Northern
Ireland, which had less severe restrictions over Christmas and
agreed to scrap vaccine passes on Thursday and reopen nightclubs
next week.
[to top of second column] |
 Irish business groups urged the
government to move swiftly. The Licensed
Vintners Association said pubs and nightclubs
were ready to open late as soon as Friday night.
Ireland's hospitality sector has been
particularly hard hit by one of Europe's
toughest lockdown regimes. Nightclubs opened
their doors for the first time in 19 months in
October only to be shut again six weeks later.
 While the economy recovered rapidly last year,
around one third of employers have chosen to
defer tax payments and the wages of
one-in-twelve workers are still being supported
by a state subsidy scheme set to end in April.
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Raissa
Kasolowsky)
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