New ticketing rules for nightclubs and late bars begin today - only hours after they were published.
All customers must buy a ticket at least an hour before, and keep a social-distance of one-metre while queuing for a drink.
Venues who don't comply could face closure, a fine of up to 5,000 euro, and one year in prison.
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Director of the Factory Night Club in Waterford, Neill Kelly, says the guidelines make no sense.
"I'm disappointed the way they were rolled out.
"It could have been handled a lot better. Saying p[people can approach the bars; don't have to wear a mask on the dancefloor but have to work a mask going to the bar.
"The social distancing queues; and you're not allowed have congregation outside your clubs, when they want us to have stringent checks at the front door.
"That's absolute insanity, it beggars belief that somebody has put this together and thinking that it's going to work."
"I think they've already hampered the industry enough. I think they could have gone to people who know what they're doing on this.
"Even to allow full capacity at a nightclub and then say that you need one-metre social distancing at the bar and have an employee supervise - that's literally impossible.
"If a nightclub has a capacity of 900 and you're allowed to have 900, how is there going to be a distance of one metre at the bar?"
