Sarah Mooney
Outdoor events with gatherings of up to 200 people, along with live music and other performances, are permitted under updated Covid-19 guidelines for the hospitality sector.
The updated Fáilte Ireland guidelines for outdoor events come after the Government said certain open-air events with up to 200 people are permitted, under advice from the Attorney General.
The Government announcement followed scrutiny of an event in Dublin’s Merrion Hotel, organised by former minister Katherine Zappone and attended by 50 people, including Tánaiste Leo Varadkar.
Under the revised guidelines, multiple tables can be booked in an outdoor area, although intermingling between tables is not permitted.
There must be “robust protective measures” in place, and overall capacity up to the limit of 200 “will depend on the size of the outdoor event area where customers will be seated,” the guidelines say.
A curfew instructing all premises to be clear of customers by 11.30pm also remains in place.
'Total nonsense in my opinion'
Publicans from the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) have welcomed the new guidelines.
Padraig Cribben, VFI chief executive, said they “make clear we’re moving towards a full reopening of society”.
“It’s now only a matter of time before all restrictions in pubs such as mandatory table service and the ban on people sitting at bar counters are removed,” he added.
However, chief executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Adrian Cummins, said the guideline prohibiting intermingling between tables was “nonsense”.
“I don’t know how people expect our industry to police this issue of trying to stop people from moving from one table to another,” he told Newstalk radio.
“I mean, that’s total nonsense in my opinion, that the hospitality industry is going to have to police up to 200 people in a premises, that you could have multiple tables of six people, and you’d have to stop them from moving from one table to another.”
Vaccine evidence
The guidelines state that outdoor hospitality can continue to operate for customers who are unable to provide evidence of Covid-19 vaccination or immunity to the disease through recovery.
Face coverings should be worn by customers at all times other than when seated at their table, and face masks must be worn by all staff in customer-facing roles.
Dedicated employees must “always monitor and manage” physical distancing, rather than simply relying on signage, the guidelines state.
Queueing procedures must be implemented if customers cannot be seated immediately, and physical distancing of at least one metre should be maintained between people seated at tables.
A maximum of six people are permitted at a table, with this limit not including accompanying children aged 12 or younger. The total combined capacity at a table cannot exceed 15 overall.
Customers must remain seated at their table except when availing of food counter service, using the toilet, paying, arriving and departing.
Live music and performances are permitted in outdoor hospitality settings, subject to adherence to all other Covid-19 guidance, with the performance area to be located at least two metres from customers.
The guidelines specify that indoor organised events are currently not permitted other than for weddings, “non-social meetings”, training and educational programmes that can take place when considered essential to a business's operation.
