Sinn Féin spokesperson for Enterprise, Trade, Employment, and Workers’ Rights, Louise O’Reilly TD, has said it is utterly unbelievable that almost two weeks on from the Government again pushing back the opening of ‘wet pubs’ there has been no support package put in place for the industry.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“It is almost two weeks on since the government pushed back the reopening of ‘wet pubs’ for the third time. 

“The decision was advised by the National Public Health Emergency Team and taken in the best interest of public health, and that must be the overriding concern when it comes to such decisions. 

“However, the continued closure of these pubs is putting considerable strain on workers and proprietors, and in the past number of days many ‘wet pubs’ have closed their businesses. 

“When these pubs close it is more than an economic loss in terms of businesses going under and jobs being lost, but they are also a huge social loss to their community. 

“It is utterly unbelievable that almost two weeks on from the enforced closure of these pubs that no support package has been put in place for the industry. 

“The whole industry has been left in a perilous position due to the lack of government support. 

“All these pubs have got from An Tánaiste, Leo Varadkar, the man responsible for businesses and enterprise, is tea and sympathy. 

“As the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) and the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) have continuously said, ‘the sympathy being expressed by Government figures will not save pub businesses or jobs’. 

“These ‘wet pubs’ need a meaningful support package from the state.  

“The government should look at increasing grant aid as well as the extension of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) for workers in these ‘wet pubs’. 

“If something is not done for these pubs, then many more will fold in the coming weeks and businesses and jobs will be lost forever.”