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Publicans anticipate reopening their doors for Christmas, but NPHET is expected to tell the government to keep them closed.
Dr. Tony Holohan said he was “not looking forward to” giving government advice that would allow families and friends to gather at their local pub for a Christmas drink.
He told the Irish Mirror: “That is not our advice or the advice I look forward to giving and I am not going to start speculating more than that about what exactly we are going to say.
“We are going to give what we think is the right advice and what we think are safe and effective steps we can take.”
He said NPHET has yet to finalize its advice, but “ultimately, the government will decide what measures will be in place by December and beyond.”
(Image: PAUL FAITH / AFP via Getty Images)
But a body representing pubs across the country told the Irish Mirror that “we hope to open.”
Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) Executive Director Padraig Cribben said: “We look forward to opening when restrictions are lifted [on December 1] and business and industry must.
“People are going to socialize during Christmas and we would be better off if that happened in a controlled environment.”
Cribben said there is now an understanding at the government level that pubs need notice to order in stock and get organized before reopening.
He added: “So we hope to know at least the last week of November about the reopening.”
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