The Vintners' Federation of Ireland has called on the Government to provide a comprehensive new package of supports if the pub industry is to survive until the new Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
The group made its plea after the Government decided to close pubs serving food along with restaurants on Christmas Eve. It said the decision bring closer the probability that pubs will remain shut past March 15, 2021, the one year anniversary of when the trade first closed.
The VFI said the Government's original plan to lockdown the country for six weeks until early December so the country could have a "meaningful" Christmas now lies in tatters.