The time limit of one hour and 45 minutes for indoor dining is expected to be scrapped when pubs and restaurants reopen on July 26.
Senior government sources have confirmed its likely the rules will change but the 11.30pm curfew is to remain in place.
But the hospitality industry is requesting to return to normal licensing hours.
Tanáiste Leo Varadkar confirmed earlier today that pubs and restaurants can expect to reopen on July 26 and that is the governments target date.
Updated guidelines for the hospitality industry are to be issued on Friday and they will also outline that customers will have to wear masks while walking through premises.
The guidelines will also say that there should only be six people per table and it will be table service only with no ordering or drinking at the bar.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said the time limit was not relevant given only fully vaccinated people were dining indoors.
People dining outdoors in Dublin (Image: Collins Photo Agency)
When put to Mr Varadkar that the time limit encourages people to move around to numerous pubs, he said: Let’s be honest, that’s exactly what people did and I have to confess, I have done it myself on occasion, maybe have the main meal somewhere else and dessert in other places and drinks.
That was one of the flaws in that rule, if you like.
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The time limit was originally in place for premises who cannot adhere to two metres social distance between tables indoors.
Mr Varadkar said despite the rise in Covid-19 cases and the concern over the Delta variant, indoor dining can reopen safely for fully vaccinated people and for those who have recovered from infection in the last six months.
He said: So I spoke to Minister Donnelly about that today actually and we are, you know, we’re getting things in place.
It looks like we’re going to have an app reader that restaurateurs and publicans can use to verify that the COVID cert is valid and so on and a lot of work is being done on that.
And were targeting Monday [July] 26, really because it [the legislation] has to go through the Seanad, we need to let the President time to consider the bills.
And we need to get some regulations and a few things like that in place so the day we’re aiming for is Monday July 26 [to reopen].
When asked if there was a possibility that the reopening of indoor hospitality could be pushed back due to the threat of the Delta variant, the Tanáiste said: There isn’t isn’t any doubt in my mind, you know, because we are opening it in a way that is very safe for people who are immune and their children, nobody else.
On allowing children to dine indoors despite Dr Tony Holohans message urging parents to continue to eat outside, the Fine Gael leader said we didn’t want to break a family bubble and bear in mind, you know, they’re already spending time at home with their parents.
He said: So we acknowledge that it is an added risk.
We’re trying to mitigate that by making sure that all the social distancing rules apply in the pub or the restaurant, just as they did before.
When asked if there is a possibility that the government would reverse the easing of restrictions, Mr Varadkar said: Its impossible to rule that out.
He said Delta here will sadly cause more deaths and that Covid-19 cases are rising quicker than expected.
However, he said looking at other countries where Delta has taken hold, it has not overwhelmed the hospitals.
Meanwhile, Mr Varadkar has said the government has asked NPHET to review whether Communions and other religious ceremonies could go ahead during the summer as well as indoor summer camps for children.
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Speaking to reporters on Thursday he said perhaps Communions, Confirmations and Christenings could go ahead in small numbers, in pods of 15.
But there shouldnt be any celebration after the ceremony.
He added: We have asked NPHET to consider both of those things and advise us on it within the next week or two.
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