Cillian Doyle & Kevin Galvin
Cabinet has approved to sign off on plans for a further easing of Covid restrictions.
Next Wednesday, June 2nd will see hotels and bed and breakfasts reopen for non-residential guests, with indoor dining allowed for guests staying in these accommodations.
Five days later people will be able to dine outdoors, with a maximum of six adults per table, joined by a maximum of six Under 13s.
Cinema lovers and gym bunnies will also have their hobbies back, as they reopen on June 7th as well as swimming pools, as the country continues its tentative steps towards reopening the economy.
However pubs and restaurants won't be allowed to serve food and drink indoors until July 5th under the new easing of restrictions, with an 105-minute time limit imposed on establishments that can't keep a two metre distance between tables, while all patrons must be gone by 11.30.
Here's what to expect from Friday's announcements.
JUNE 2
🛎️ Hotels
JUNE 7
🍽️🍻 Outdoor service at pubs and restaurants
🏋️♂️🏊♀️ Gyms & pools reopen
🎞️ Cinemas reopen
🏟️ Outdoor gatherings of 100 people to be allowed in JUNE - rising to 200 in bigger grounds@VirginMediaNews— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) May 28, 2021
International travel will return on July 19th for non-essential reasons, however this will depend on the current quarantining situation of each country, and where they fall on Ireland's list, with France, Belgium and Luxembourg expected to be removed from the quarantine list shortly.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said Ireland was "not in a position" to restore the Common Travel Area yet due to NPHET concerns about the prevalence of the variant that first originated in India in Britain.
Cabinet has also approved plans to hold a number of test entertainment and sports events, however in much smaller numbers than what we've seen across the Irish Sea
While up to 18,000 people will be allowed into the second test between England and New Zealand in Birmingham, only up to 500 people will able to gather at outdoor venues in July.
League of Ireland games and GAA Championship matches are rumoured to be among sporting events that will be a part of the test scheme, with hopes that up to 5,000 spectators will be able to attend the All-Ireland finals in August and September.
Taoiseach Michael Martin will make an announcement tonight at around 6pm.
It's as 436 cases of Covid 19 were confirmed yesterday.
101 patients are in hospital with the virus of which 39 are in ICU.
The department of health says the case numbers may change due to future data reviews, following the cyber attack.
