All mass gathering of over 5000 people will be banned until September 1st under plans set to be announced by the Government due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Government sources said local authorities will be told not to grant licences for large events in this period due to the coronavirus crisis.

It is understood the decision was taken by Ministers at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning. The decision will mean major concerts and other events will have to be cancelled or rearranged. Although sporting events are not covered by licences they are also likely to be cancelled in the coming weeks.

Supermac's is to reopen and provide a limited food service from today.  The fast food chain announced the move on social media this morning.
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It will provide delivery, drive-through and a drive-and-collect system at a number of its outlets across the country.

The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) was introduced on 26 March 2020 to provide income support to eligible employees where the employer’s business activities have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.

The aim of the scheme is to maximise staff retention and firm viability by maintaining the link between the employer and employee. The rate is set with respect to previous average net wage levels.

The chief executive of Burger King UK has said the fast-food chain has not made its rent payments for April.  Alasdair Murdoch told the BBC's Today programme that he could not see the firm paying for some time to come.
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Burger King is one of several High Street restaurant chains to have asked the chancellor for a nine-month rent holiday during the coronavirus crisis.

The following statement from Orgalim was received via EFCEM:

Dear Members,
 
Today, the European Commission, together with the Council of the European Union, published their COVID19 exit strategy, called “European Roadmap towards lifting COVID-19 containment measures”.
 
It was presented both by European Commission President Von der Leyen and European Council President Michel.
 
The focus is mainly on the specific health measures taken across Europe and the need to coordinate their being lifted in the exit strategy.

"While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to a gradual, science-based and effective lifting of containment measures, a highly coordinated way forward is a matter of common European interest."

​Responding to the call of the European Council of 26 March, the Commission, in cooperation with the President of the European Council, has put forward a European roadmap towards lifting coronavirus containment measures. It takes into account the expertise of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control the Commission’s Advisory Panel on the coronavirus, experience of Member States and guidance from the World Health Organization. Evidently, any such reflection is based on the scientific knowledge available today, and should be revised as further evidence appears.

Report published 20th March 2020
The Hospitality sector is a key component of the Irish economy worth up to €7.6bn and employing 180,000 people.

The last week has seen an unprecedented level of business closures (albeit we hope temporarily) and corresponding layoffs of an enormous scale. While the safety net of social welfare is welcome, in this paper we argue that the State should step in now and subvent employees to ensure that employment is protected.

Ballinode chef Ollie Keenan, who works one of Sodexo’s corporate services businesses in the North East, scooped bronze in the 2020 Sodexo UK and Ireland Chef of the Year competition in early March. It was his first time to compete in the live cook-off, which took place at the Hotel, Restaurant and Catering (HRC) event in ExCel London.