« Back to News

Cabinet decides on plans to lift almost all restrictions by 22nd October

Cabinet decides on plans to lift almost all restrictions by 22^nd October

On 31^st August, the Irish Government approved plans for a phased lifting of restrictions as the focus of the strategy for managing Covid-19 shifts from regulation and population wide restrictions to a public health advice and personal judgement and personal protective behaviours. The new strategy has been published in a new document: Reframing the challenge - Continuing our recovery and reconnecting.

The decision is based on public health advice that Ireland will soon attain a level of vaccine coverage within the population which, together with a number of continued protective measures and ongoing robust public health surveillance and response capacities in appropriate settings, will facilitate this shift.

With this change of approach in mind, governance arrangements of the management of Covid-19 will be adjusted in line with the substantive lifting of restrictions in October, including the standing down of the National Public Health Emergency Team from its emergency function with members returning to mainstream disease surveillance activities.

The Government has decided to maintain the current Testing and Tracing model and standing capacity through to the end of 2021. A transition to scaled back operating model for Covid-19

Will subsequently take place in line with clinical direction and epidemiological developments, with operations beginning to scale back from Q1 2022.

A number of initiatives are to be undertaken to ensure the efficiency and sustainability of the testing system, including using antigen as a core component of the testing strategy (e.g. in education ettings and for close contact testing), increased use of automation and technology (e.g. test booking portals, contact tracing portal, antigen portal), and prioritisation of testing in line with clinical direction.

The plan for the lifting of restrictions is as follows.

September

• 100% capacity in public transport has been restored from 1^st September
• From 6^th September, loosening of restrictions on organised indoor and outdoor events / mass gatherings:

1. Organised indoor events and mass gatherings can go ahead with capacity limits of 60% of venue capacity where all attendees are immune (fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 within previous 6 months), or accompanied minors
2. Where events will be attended by people of mixed immunity status, there will be no change to the current restrictions during September.
3. Organised outdoor events and mass gatherings can go ahead with capacity limits of 75% of venue capacity where all attending are immune or accompanied minors.
4. Where patrons have mixed immunity status, the capacity limit will be 50%.

• From 20^th September, loosening of restrictions on indoor and outdoor group activities (sports, arts, culture, dance classes)

1. Organised indoor group activities (sports, arts, culture, dance classes) can go ahead limited to 100 people where all participating are immune or accompanied minors.
2. Where participants have mixed immunity status, pods of up to 6 participants will be allowed (excluding adult leaders/teachers).

• Employees may return to the office from 20^th September on a phased and staggered attendance basis “for specific business requirements”.

October

From 22^nd October onwards, the following restrictions will be lifted:

• requirements for physical distancing
• requirements for mask wearing outdoors and in indoor private settings
• limits on numbers at indoor and outdoor events and activities
• restrictions on religious or civil ceremonies limits on
• numbers that can meet in private homes/gardens
• certification of vaccination, immunity or testing as a prerequisite for access to, or engagement in, any activities or events (with exception of international travel)
• restrictions on high-risk activities (for example: nightclubs)

Measures that will continue to remain in place include requirements for self-isolation when experiencing symptoms, mask wearing in healthcare settings, indoor retail and on public transport.