PUBS ACROSS Ireland are expecting to reopen on August 10 as planned, despite growing concerns across Europe over a potential second wave of coronavirus.
In the UK, plans for the continued reopening of the economy have been delayed amid a noted increase in the number of coronavirus cases.
Professor Graham Medley, the chair of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies sub-group on pandemic modelling, has also suggested pubs in the UK may need to close in order to prioritise the safe reopening of schools and control the infection rate.
Ireland already moved to delay the planned reopening of pubs which was originally set for July 20, in the wake of similar concerns.
But Padraig Cribben, thee chief executive of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland, believes pubs must be allowed to open in less than two weeks' time to "have any chance of viability".
He noted to RTE that by August 10, almost 4,000 family-run pubs across Ireland will have gone give months without trading.
Mr Cribben called on Fáilte Ireland to provide clear guidelines for pubs to reopen, in order to give them a "fair chance" to trade.
Under the current regulations, only pubs serving a “substantial meal” have been allowed to reopen, with customers allowed to stay for a maximum of 105 minutes.
Leo Varadkar has already warned that while he would like to see pubs reopen this month, he could not guarantee that would happen.
A decision on the issue is expected this Thursday.
