The Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI), Adrian Cummins has blasted further restrictions that could be imposed on the hospitality sector across Dublin.
Under the proposed additional restrictions, dining in restaurants and pubs which serve food will only be permitted if they have outdoor facilities, or for takeaway services.
Mr Cummins said: “We’re not the problem, the problem is in households. This is effectively a hospitality lockdown.
“We had no indication of what the restrictions would be.
“This is about livelihoods. Businesses are now staring down the banks looking for loans to be paid, landlords looking for rent and suppliers looking to be paid. The industry is in crisis.
“The Government needs to step up to the plate and come up with an aid package if the restrictions come in in tonight.
“This will have huge ramifications for the industry.
“Many small businesses will not recover.”
Hotels in Dublin will also be affected by the expected new restrictions.
The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) President Elaina Fitzgerald-Kane said: “I do expect this further curtailment… it really has an impact on the whole of the country to a degree in terms of Dublin.
“I do expect that there will be hotels and guest houses who will close temporarily on the foot of this and it just adds to that pressure in terms of operating.”
