The government has agreed to re-open pubs from September 21st.
Cabinet Ministers are meeting at the moment to discuss the impact of opening pubs in two weeks time.
Waterford TD and Sinn Féin's Health Spokesman David Cullinane believes the pubs should be allowed to open.
Deputy Cullinane said: "I'm of the view that we need to ensure that people can live with the virus and living means not just going to school, or work, or college - we have to give people social outlets as well.
"I have always held the view that the pubs should be open on the same basis as the restaurants and pubs that serve food- in fact I don't see any sense in the requirement of serving food in the first place."
Seán Furlong, owner of 'The New Geneva' in Passage-East had re-arranged his pub to comply with the mandatory meal, that has allowed gasto-pubs to reopen since June.
He said his decision to alter his pub, came out of desperation: "We're open seven days a week as a restaurant - with just a simple burger, pizza chips, chicken goujons menu. It's a straightforward bar-food menu with a special every day.
"It worked very well in the summer but now coming into the winter its going to be very difficult to justify it. In October/November having the kitchen open midweek. [is not going to work] It gives me now the opportunity to perhaps close midweek, and have the food three days week when it will be profitable."
There's particular concern over the spread of the virus in Dublin and Limerick over the next week, and the re-opening of bars is understood to be subject to any local restrictions or lockdowns that might be in place.
