Publicans are calling for beer gardens to reopen on May 24th.
That's the same day indoor hospitality resumes in Northern Ireland.
It comes as a quarter of traditional Dublin pubs mark 400 days since they were told to shut their doors.
A viral video taken in Temple Bar in Dublin on March 14th 2020.
Just sent to me from Temple bar.
Glad we are taking this serious.#COVIDー19 #CloseThePubs pic.twitter.com/YI1YOwzDV7— Gareth Neary (@Tiananmens) March 14, 2020
It captures the last day Irish pubs were entirely open.
A day later they were shut, and for non food serving bars in the capital, they’ve stayed that way.
Donal O’Keefe from the Licensed Vintners Association says it’s been a nightmare for publicans:
"Our worst nightmare was that we'd be closed until the middle of summer 2020."
"However, here we are, 400 days later having not traded on a single one of them."
The government is due to announce their reopening road map next week.
Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath promises normal society is within reach.
"The prize is us returning towards a normal society over the months ahead."
The LVA is calling on Dublin’s gastro and traditional pubs to contact their local politicians today to call for beer gardens to reopen next month.
