Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade, Employment and Workers’ Rights Louise O’Reilly TD has said that new rules requiring pub and restaurant owners to record and retain the details of the food eaten by customers for 28 days will place an additional burden on a sector struggling to remain open.

She said:

“These new regulations were brought in without any consultation with the hospitality sector and the government has failed to demonstrate how the requirement to record details of the food consumed by customers will be of any benefit to the management of Covid-19.

“Concerns have been expressed by the Irish Council of Civil Liberties about the retention of this data and there is a need for the Data Protection Commissioner to examine this.  

“The chaotic way that these bizarre regulations have been introduced is becoming typical of this government. 

“Clear, simple messaging is an essential part of managing Covid-19 and explaining the steps required to tackle the virus is essential. What the government is doing, on a continual basis, is the exact opposite of that and all this latest debacle will do is cause further headaches for pub and restaurant staff and for the Gardaí.”