Publicans have criticised what they describe as a "crazy" new law requiring restaurants and pubs serving food to record all individual food orders and keep the information for 28 days.
The Vintners' Federation of Ireland (VFI), representing rural publicans, said the temporary rule, contained in a statutory instrument introduced today, is "bureaucracy gone mad". "This is crazy stuff," said Padraig Cribben, chief executive of the VFI. "The idea that a pub must record all food ordered by each customer and then store it for 28 days is bureaucracy gone mad. "Not only is it too impractical for our members to implement, but why does the Government think this law will help in the fight against Covid?