“This isn’t conducive to effective preparation. We see absolutely no reason why the guidelines couldn’t have been published earlier.”
Mr O’Keefe said by August 10th pubs will have had “no income” for just under 150 days, which is more than 40 per cent of the year. “In Dublin alone at least 2,450 pubs jobs have already been lost in that period and 11 pubs have gone out of business. Further delays will result in more job losses, more stress on these publicans and their staff and more businesses closing their doors for good,” he added.
“The pub sector is the last industry to reopen, despite being the first to close. We have been singled out. If this treatment is to continue then the Government needs to be forthcoming about what they plan to do to protect the future of a sector which continues to be deprived of an opportunity to earn a living at the request of the Government.