.Ahead of a meeting with the Government today, the hospitality industry insist rules on table distances should be ditched in return for pub and restaurant owners supporting plans for a new vaccine ID system for indoor dining.Pubs and restaurants are demanding social distancing be scrapped for indoor dining if vaccine passes are introduced.
Ahead of the crucial first meeting of the working group involving the Government and the hospitality industry on Monday, senior Cabinet figures confirmed over the weekend that rapid antigen testing may play a role in the system.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said yesterday that antigen testing may be a part of the solution but it was too early to say for definite.
It is expected any vaccine pass will be closely modelled on the EU Covid Digital Certificate for travel which has a testing strand to it. While there have been some doubts raised about the State having the EU digital certificate ready by July 19th, Government sources said over the weekend they were confident it would be up and running by the deadline.