Covid-19: Irish senate passes indoor hospitality legislation

The Irish government is targeting Monday, 26 July as the date for reopening indoor hospitality settings

Legislation to allow fully vaccinated people to eat and drink in indoor venues in the Republic of Ireland has now passed all stages of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament).

Monday, 26 July is the target date for reopening indoor hospitality settings.

The aim is to allow restaurants, pubs and cafes to serve customers indoors if they can prove they have received both jabs or have recovered from Covid-19.

Opponents expressed concern that it discriminates against the unvaccinated.

However, the Health (Amendment No.2) Bill 2021 has now passed all its stages in the Dáil and the Seanad (Senate) and now requires the signature of President Michael D Higgins before becoming law.

It passed the Seanad by 39 votes to seven.

Proof of vaccination will soon be required for customers to enter indoor venues, either paper documentation or via an EU digital Covid certificate.

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According to the bill, the legislation allows for a "robust and enforceable system of verification of the health status of certain persons, including vaccination or recovery status".

The bill will also extend the Republic of Ireland's system of mandatory hotel quarantine for certain people arriving into the state from overseas until 9 October.

The Irish government's advisory against all non-essential international travel remains in place until 18 July.

After the indicative date of 19 July for changes to Covid-19 regulations, fully vaccinated travellers from the United States of America will not need to quarantine on arrival in the Republic, or do a pre-departure PCR test.

Meanwhile the Republic's National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has said the rise in positive Covid tests in people aged 16-18 "is exceptional".

On Friday, the Irish Department of Health was notified of 1,173 new cases of the virus.

Prof Philip Nolan said 50% of Friday's positive tests were in the 19 to 34-year-old age group.

"We need those who are waiting for full vaccination to take every precaution this weekend and to adhere strongly to the public health advice as they await their vaccines - this includes limiting your social contacts, meeting outdoors, staying 2m apart, wearing masks and avoiding international travel," he said.

"If you are experiencing symptoms of cold and flu: headache, sore throat, runny nose, please let your close contacts know, stay at home and get tested as soon as possible for Covid-19."

Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronan Glynn, urged unvaccinated people to "be patient and wait" until they had the vaccine before engaging in "risky" indoor activities.

"Unfortunately we still have a large reservoir of people - around 2.5 million - who are not vaccinated and a virus that transmits much more easily," he told RTÉ's Six One News programme.