Draft guidelines issued by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) have indicated that restaurants and pubs that serve food may be able to reduce the 2-metre physical distancing restriction to 1-metre in certain circumstances when they reopen later this month.
But it's understood that those circumstances include limiting the length of stay in the pub or restaurant to a maximum of 90 minutes, while customers would also have to pre-book before making a visit.
The draft document, "COVID19: Guidance for Food Service Businesses", was drawn up by the HPSC following a request for further clarity from tourism agency, Fáilte Ireland.