Talks will get underway later today between the hospitality industry and government representatives to find a way of allowing customers inside pubs and restaurants later this month.
A head of the talks, industry representatives have said they are extremely disappointed that members of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) will not attend.
Service inside pubs and restaurants was due to resume today, as part of the next phase of easing restrictions. But the Government decided last week to delay this, on foot of advice from NPHET over concerns about the spread of the Delta variant.
Talks get underway this afternoon aimed at finding a way around this - potentially with the use of a vaccination passports an idea that has proved