The Irish Tourism Industry Confederation expressed significant disappointment
that tourism had not been included within an economic portfolio. Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, CEO of ITIC, said “It is regrettable that an industry that employs 265,000 people and contributes €9.3 billion to the economy has not been included within an Economic Ministry by the new Government. 

​As hotels and guesthouses across the country get ready to reopen on Monday next, 29th June 2020, the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) is calling on the Government to expand the current Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) to include seasonal tourism employees.  Due to COVID-19 safety guidelines tourism and hospitality businesses, including hotels, will be operating under significant operating constraints this summer. Tim Fenn, 

​JIMCO A/S manufacturer of UV-C ozone technology recently initiated tests with an internationally accredited German laboratory to validate its disinfection equipment against Corona viruses. 

Independent test results performed by the Dr Brill + Dr Steinmann Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology in Bremen Germany have shown the effectiveness of JIMCO UV-C ozone technology against the approved COVID 19 surrogate. 

T​he Cabinet has approved the move to Phase 3 of the roadmap to reopen the country, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.

Speaking at Dublin Castle, Mr Varadkar said that following advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team and Government departments almost all remaining businesses and amenities can reopen from Monday 29 June.

​Sinn Féin has proposed giving every adult and child a government funded gift voucher to spend in pubs, restaurants and hotels to kick-start the tourism industry.

Under the €1bn scheme every adult would be given a €200 voucher and every child would get €100 to spend in local businesses that sign up to the scheme.

The Restaurants Association of Ireland has warned that up to 50% of restaurants in Ireland face closure unless an emergency grant aid package is issued by the government. 

​The representative body also warned that recently promoted staycations or weekends away will not be an option if the tourism and hospitality industry is not supported.This follows the release of a damning report on the consequences of not supporting the restaurant sector. 

Fáilte Ireland has this evening published Guidelines for the Reopening of Pubs (which include pubs, gastro pubs and bars). The document can be accessed HERE.

Over the last 24 hours Fáilte Ireland has been engaged in intensive discussions with officials from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport following guidance from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) for food service businesses to ensure some of our concerns, and that of the industry, were addressed.

​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 two-metre physical distancing restriction to one metre in certain circumstances when they reopen later this month.

But it is 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.

​Aer Lingus is to cut the pay and working hours of staff to 30% of pre-Covid-19 levels and implement layoffs after unions failed to meet the airline's 6pm deadline to accept a new programme of work practice reforms.

In a new video message to staff issued this evening, CEO Sean Doyle said not all unions had accepted the Covid Crisis Recovery Plan document by this evening's 6pm deadline, and as a result the proposals in the document have now lapsed.