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Publicans have no interest in opening “just for two weeks at Christmas” before having to close again, warned the Irish Vintners Federation.
Padraig Cribben, the group’s chief executive, said the government’s plans to reopen parts of the society shouldn’t focus only on the holiday period.
Speaking on RTÉ Saturday with Katie Hannon, she said there has to be a plan for January and February, as “just two weeks into Christmas” is of no interest.
“I don’t think any innkeeper is interested in opening for Christmas and closing again. There are costs in starting and closing.”
Cribben also said that returning to Level 3 Covid-19 restrictions is not feasible and impractical if that is the government’s plan for December.
On Level 3, food serving bars and pubs can open for take out and deliver, as well as serve up to 15 customers outdoors.
“If you look at a rainy day like today, it just isn’t on,” said the VFI chief.
He said people are going to socialize over Christmas and questioned whether it will be “at home without masks and without social distancing or in the controlled environment of a pub.”
Cribben said there will be a demand for pubs and the more it spreads, the better.
“For those pubs that want to open, they should have the opportunity to do so.”
He also described what he thinks will happen if the northern pubs are open and the southern pubs are not.
“What we have in the border counties is infection levels four times higher in the north than in the south and it’s going to end up with people from the south going to hotels and pubs in the north and bringing the virus south again.” . “
Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien has rejected that happening. While a decision has yet to be made on reopening pubs, he said “of course there is hope.”
He said the government will engage with those in the hotel sector and then make a “responsible” decision.
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Minister O’Brien also said that a Covid-19 vaccine will be a “game changer” and that its implementation should be a priority for the government by 2021.
The independent TD Denis Naughten said on Saturday with Katie Hannon that the lockdowns are a “blunt instrument” and, although they stop the infection rate, “we do not know what aspects work or not.”
“What we really have to do is abandon the Tier 5 strategy and bring in a new model that will open up as much society as possible and ensure that the next wave doesn’t bring a lockdown.”
He said that controlling the virus in France and Germany is very different from parts of Ireland.
“What we have to do is look at the data here in terms of labs, contact tracing and hospitalizations and analyze that and see what reduces the spread of infection.”
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