Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is vital for communities throughout the country that the uncertainty around the lawful sale and consumption of alcohol in outdoor seating areas is addressed and clarified so this part of our hospitality sector can restart doing as much business as the rules allow. It is also important that the obligations of the licensees of these premises are upheld and the contents of the Bill also deal with this. It is also important that outdoor seating, whether for pubs, restaurants or cafes, is facilitated as much as possible, given the last minute upheaval the Government has started with this week's announcement.

In my locality of Cashel and Cahir in Tipperary, we have seen some of the vibrancy of these towns return. The continuation and support for this vibrancy is crucial given that the towns have a heavy reliance on the tourism industry, which has been severely curtailed and much uncertainty remains. I commend each and every business that is putting its best foot forward and going to great lengths to add colour and vitality to the towns. They are working in a highly responsible way and should be facilitated as much as possible. What we have seen this week has been nothing short of disgraceful and penalises the hospitality sector for the Government's failure to devise contingency plans. It also penalises the young people that the Government expects to work in the very premises in which they will be prevented from socialising. This is mixed and confused messaging to the maximum. So much has been asked of people over the past year and it is not good enough the Government failed to plan even though it knew of the growing threat of the Delta variant. The way the Government has treated these businesses and our young people the length and breadth of the country is nothing short of disgraceful and reinforces Sinn Féin's opinion that it is out of touch with how to deal with the pandemic.

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