The annual Bord Bia Foodservice Seminar will take place this year as a streamed event on:

• Date – Wednesday, 11th November
• Time – 10AM-12:30PM
• Format – Live streamed from RDS

 
Website bookings will open from early w/c 12th October.  Programme details to follow.

This UK virtual trade exhibition features keynote speakers such as;

• Chef Heston Blumenthal, On Behalf of Hospitality Action
• Kate Nicholls, CEO, UK Hospitality
• Matthew Merritt-Harrison, Chairman, FCSI UK & Ireland
• Keith Warren, Industry Expert
• Clare Nicholls ,Editor, Catering Insight

The Office of Government Procurement are carrying out research ahead of potentially running a tender for the supply and delivery of Catering Consumable Products. 

Following on from the Prior Information Notice published on the Governments eTenders platform in early July 2020; the Office of Government Procurement have been researching the supply market for Catering Consumable Products and would welcome the engagement of any interested members of the Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance. The items in scope for this research include disposable coffee cups, cutlery, plates, bowls, meal containers etc..

Members should contact the Office of Government Procurement by emailing Stephen.oconnor@ogp.gov.ie for further details. 

​European airlines are pinning hopes on pre-flight Covid-19 tests that deliver results as fast as pregnancy tests to help restore passengers' confidence in taking to the skies in confined spaces with shared air. 

Germany's Lufthansa is in talks with Swiss drugmaker Roche over deploying so-called antigen tests, according to two people familiar with the discussions.

​Saudi Arabia's Zahid Group has doubled its stake in Irish hotel group Dalata in the past month and is now the company's single biggest shareholder.

As Dublin returns to lockdown for a minimum of three weeks, a new economic report released today shows that 33,000 of the capital’s accommodation and food service jobs*, which include jobs in drinks and hospitality businesses like pubs, hotels, and restaurants, could be lost by the end of the year without additional supports from government.

The Brexit Readiness Action Plan, published by the Government on 9th September, sets out the steps that businesses and individuals need to take now, to be ready for the end of the Transition Period on 31 December 2020.

​The EU and the UK are currently negotiating a future partnership agreement. The EU’s approach to the negotiations is underpinned by the Political Declaration signed by the EU and UK in October, 2019. The Declaration set out the parameters for an 'ambitious, broad, deep and flexible partnership across trade and economic cooperation with a comprehensive and balanced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) at its core'.

€30 million extra grant aid for business in the capital.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD announced a package on Friday, 18th September for Dublin business, following on from the decision to move to Phase 3 in the county to save lives and protect our most vulnerable.

The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) has accused the Government of ceding control of the country to NPHET, following their decision to put pubs that serve food and restaurants into Level 4 while the rest of Dublin is placed into Level 3. 

The LVA has also said they now view the Government’s new Resilience and Recovery 2020 – 2021 plan as null and void.  

​The Cabinet is to consider a request from the National Public Health Emergency Team to stop indoor dining at pubs and restaurants in Dublin.

Given the rise in Covid-19 cases in the capital over the last seven days, senior figures are tonight indicating that Government will agree to the proposal.