Full details of the Christmas Covid restrictions

The Taoiseach announced this evening that the country will move to Level 3 restrictions from next week, with shops, gyms, hairdressers, hotels, restaurants and gastro-pubs set to reopen.

“It hasn’t been easy. Many individuals and businesses have made huge sacrifices. And many more are totally fed up with Covid-19 and everything that has come with it over the past nine months. I understand that feeling. Very often I share it,” Micheál Martin said in an address to the nation.

“This cannot and will not be the kind of Christmas we are used to but it will be a very special time where we all enjoy some respite,” he said, as he announced the planned move to “Level 3, with some modifications”.

The use of face coverings is now recommended in crowded workplaces, places of worship and in busy or crowded outdoor spaces where there is significant congregation.

From 1 December, under Level 3, as set out in the Plan for Living with Covid-19:

• weddings with up to 25 guests are permitted (same as current provisions)
• funerals with up to 25 mourners are permitted (same as current provisions)
• no organised indoor events should take place, other than as provided below
• gatherings of 15 people may take place outdoors
• non-contact training may take place outdoors in pods of 15
• only individual training should take place indoors and no exercise or dance classes are permitted
• no matches/events may take place except professional and elite sports, approved inter-county Gaelic games, horse-racing and approved equestrian events, all behind closed doors
• gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools may reopen for individual training only
• nightclubs, discos and casinos should remain closed
• hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs may open with services limited to residents only
• non-essential retail and personal services may reopen
• people should continue to work from home unless absolutely necessary to attend in person
• public transport capacity is limited to 50%

From 1 December:

• households should not mix with any other households outside those within their bubble
• people should stay within their county apart from work, education and other essential purposes

From 4 December:

• restaurants and pubs operating as restaurants (serving a substantial meal) may reopen for indoor dining with additional restrictions, (including requirement for meals to be prepared on site, inside the premises). This includes access for non-residents to restaurants in hotels
• higher, further and adult education should remain primarily online

Adjustments for the Christmas Period

From 1 December:

• places of worship to reopen for services with restrictive measures, subject to review in January
• museums, galleries, and libraries to reopen
• cinemas to reopen
• wet pubs to remain closed except for takeaway/delivery

From 18 December to 6 January:

• households can mix with up to two other households
• travel outside your county to be permitted

From 7 January, the measures put in place prior to 18 December will apply, subject to ongoing review of the trajectory of the virus.

The measures for cross-border travel will be the same as for travel between all other counties, that is, from 1 December, people should stay within their county apart from work, education and other essential purposes while from 18 December to 6 January, travel outside the county is permitted.

It has further been agreed that the use of face coverings is now recommended in crowded workplaces, places of worship and in busy or crowded outdoor spaces where there is significant congregation.