Taoiseach signals domestic tourism could return in June

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has signalled that domestic tourism could return in June as part of the easing of Covid-19 restrictions to be considered by Government this week.

He told a private meeting of Fianna Fáil’s parliamentary party that hairdressers and barbers, religious services, outdoor sports training for adults, click and collect shopping and non-essential retail are being looked at for reopening in May.

However, sources said Mr Martin also suggested that the Government will look at plans for reopening hotels, B&Bs, self-catering holiday homes and mobile home sites in June, thus paving the way for domestic tourism to resume.

The meeting heard pleas on behalf of the hospitality sector from TDs including Cathal Crowe and John Lahart for financial supports for pubs and no distinction to be made between gastro pubs and those that don’t serve food.

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Mr Martin acknowledged the calls for equality of treatment within the hospitality industry but was said to be cautious in his response to such contributions.

He said there will be “no cliff edge” in supports to the sector which the Government will seek to boost in the National Economic Recovery Plan.

Mr Martin said the country is in a good position ahead of the reopening decision and better than had been anticipated.

He welcomed the National Immunisation Advisory Committee’s (Niac) approval of the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines for use in the Over 50s.

Mr Martin also told the meeting he has registered to be vaccinated and is looking forward to getting the jab.

He said there has been a high volume of vaccinations this week and they are having a huge impact.

Mr Martin said the Government is working with the EU as it develops a green certificate for international travel for people who have been fully vaccinated.

He is said to have played down suggestions that Ireland will develop its own vaccine certificate for accessing services here citing ethical and civil liberties concerns.

Dublin Bay south TD Jim O’Callaghan called for a “soft reopening” of personal services for the over-70s - most of whom have been vaccinated - so there wouldn’t be a rush for such services.

Meanwhile, India is set to be added to Ireland’s mandatory hotel quarantine (MHQ) list. Iran, Mongolia, Georgia and Costa Rica are also expected to be added to the countries deemed to be of high risk for Covid-19 or its variants.

A spokesman for Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly did not respond to a query on whether European countries such Germany and Sweden would be added to the list after they had been recommended for inclusion by chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Prime Time on Tuesday night, Mr Donnelly said non-European countries were included on the MHQ list based on both variants of concern and high incidence rates. However, European countries were only subject to MHQ where there were variants of concern.

“It is the case that the advice from the chief medical officer also listed the European countries that fell into the high cases but not variant of concern [category],” he said, in reference to Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden.

They were not included on the mandatory quarantine list, “for a few reasons. Partly because we are very conscious of the rights of travel [and] of European law,” Mr Donnelly said.

When it was put to him that Sweden had an infection rate of about 600 cases per million people per day, Mr Donnelly said he had no concern with people travelling from there based on public health advice regarding variants of concern specifically.