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The return of non-contact sports training for children, along with golf and tennis for all ages, is under consideration as part of the government’s plans to ease Covid-19 restrictions next month.
Non-contact training for GAA seniors may also be allowed between counties as restrictions on sporting activity are eased.
Senior government officials are considering a variety of outdoor activities that could be allowed if transmission of the virus slows down significantly before April 5.
Central to these discussions is allowing people to participate in more sports like golf and tennis.
Equestrian sports may also be allowed if cases remain low and the vaccine program continues to progress. Non-contact outdoor capsule training for youth sports is also being considered as part of plans to slowly reopen the country in the coming months.
Before the GAA national league can return in May, non-contact training for senior teams between counties is also on the table.
The government’s plan to handle the virus, The Path Ahead, promises to cautiously begin easing restrictions next month.
The ministers will consider easing restrictions on outdoor activities while allowing more people to gather outdoors. Currently, only people from two households can gather outside for exercise.
The plan commits to the “phased start of relaxation from other activity areas with a focus on outdoor activities, including sports and some construction areas.” There is also a commitment to consider easing the 5km travel ban.
The restrictions will only be lifted if they are in line with the advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet).
The key indicators that Nphet is considering are the transmission of the virus, the number of patients in intensive care units, the impact of the national vaccination program and the presence of new variants of the coronavirus.
The Cabinet Committee on Covid-19 is not expected to make a formal decision on the restrictions until the week beginning March 29.
Yesterday, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that non-essential shops and hair salons will not open until at least the end of April or the beginning of May.
Talking to Newstalk BreakfastVaradkar said the easing of restrictions on April 5 will be “limited.”
He said relaxing the 5km limit, allowing small outdoor gatherings and reopening construction will come first in a “slow” reopening.
“Reopening of stores, personal services, hospitality, that would not happen on April 5. I’d be realistically speaking, at the earliest, late April or early May, ”he told the show.
The Tánaiste said shops and hair salons are likely to open before the hospitality, and the possibility of resuming sports as part of the reopening next month is being considered.
Earlier this week, Varadkar also suggested that the 5km travel restriction be lifted.
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said at his parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday that the government will only review restrictions around the ban on 5 km, outdoor gatherings, sports and the head of constructions on April 5. .
Mr. Martin said he will not “engage in speculation” beyond those restrictions and insisted that attention should be focused on reducing the number of new Covid-19 cases.
Martin and Varadkar outraged hospitality industry representatives after a meeting with the industry on Wednesday.
Lobbyists for restaurants, bars and hotels were furious after they were not given information on when they could reopen after a meeting with the two government leaders and Tourism Minister Catherine Martin.
Sources at the meeting said representative groups were asked to prioritize state grants that best suit their industry and to send the list to Ms. Martin.
“Most sectors want government subsidies to be doubled and now they are talking about matching them by June,” said a source.
“People are really angry with the government’s treatment of the hotel sector,” they added.
Another source criticized the Taoiseach for refusing to give an indication of when the hospitality might return.
“People were really wondering why he attended the meeting, he had nothing to say,” they said.
The government’s Path Head plan only commits to easing restrictions on April 5 and does not give any other dates for when other regulations will be lifted.
However, it is expected that the possibility of easing restrictions in the hotel sector will be considered until June or even July.
The reopening of traditional or wet pubs may have to wait even longer, and some industry sources suggest it could be fall before they are allowed to open their doors.
No dates have been given for the reopening of nonessential retail, but the sector is not expected to reopen next month.
The government insisted that the deficit in its vaccine program is not affecting its reopening plans so far.
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