Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Publicans all over the country are at the end of their tether at the continuing uncertainty as to whether they can reopen next week. Stocks needed to be ordered yesterday if they are to open next Monday. Some publicans took the gamble by ordering but more did not because they do not know where they stand. We seem to have completely forgotten that there are 50,000 jobs on the line. Pub owners need clarity as to whether they can open their doors. That is what I am hearing from every publican in west Cork. I am pleading with the Taoiseach to give them that clarity and let them order their stock and reopen their businesses. We should bear in mind that if we have one or two pubs opening at one end of the street and none at the other end, we will have a congestion of people at the first end. If we instead allow all the pubs in a town to open, that will at least spread out the numbers.

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