A financial support package for pubs which still can't open is being considered by the government.
Several Ministers are working on a scheme for businesses which remain shut due to Phase 4 of lifting Covid-19 restrictions being delayed by three weeks.
Pubs won't reopen until at least August 31st, following advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team, which is concerned it would lead to an increase in community transmission of the virus.
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar says it's too early to say what the extra supports for pubs will be.
However, a Waterford publican feels the government is using the schools reopening as an excuse to keep pubs closed.
Martin Colbert from Norris's Bar in Waterford says house parties and other get-togethers are continuing.
He says the government should have engaged with the pubs.
"We were hoping to be open by now but unfortunately the government seem to have taken the decision not to. I think it's the wrong decision. It's been a bit of a red-herring this whole issue of pubs and school. I don't see where there's any connection between pubs being open and schools being opened or closed. I just think they seem to be using that as an excuse to keep us closed when really we're the sector that has controls and has regulations."
He says house parties and other get togethers are continuing.
"We're not talking about having crowded pubs., we're talking about a regulated controlled situation with proper guidelines that us as professional people can operate. We think it would have been far safer than having a non-regulated situation than having house parties and other types of get-togethers for people good luck to them getting the schools open ."
"How can we do this safely so that people have a safe place to go to? They didn't do that. Probably what they should have done is shut down the off-licences and supermarket (off-licences) as that can't be controlled properly but the pubs can. They took the easy option and shut down the pubs. Now you have people who can't have an outlet to get together an it's leading to house parties and other events. The government could have take the initiative and organised events for people."
