€9 Food Doesn't Prevent COVID19

It has been revealed that under Phase 3 of the easing of Irish COVID19 restrictions, that some pubs will be allowed to re-open on the 29th June, while other pubs will have to wait until 20th July, three weeks later.

What separates these two categories of pubs you may ask. Well it's the price of their food.

It has been stated that pubs hoping to open at the end of the month will have to serve substantial plates of food costing at least €9. Like much of how the caretaker government has tackled COVID19, this measure is focused on Dublin, where you would likely have to apply for a long term loan to buy a Soup&Sandwich Combo.

Many pubs around the country make an effort to keep their customers happy with a bit of grub, but sadly this doesn't quite cut it.

But while the nation discusses the price of pub grub, the science behind tackling COVID19 seems to be completely cast aside. Overpriced food was never previously mentioned as a solution to the COVID19 Crisis, but somehow it now determines whether or not a business can re-open.

Outside of Dublin this plan seems like madness, and as expected is very vague. So here are some questions:

. Can a pub re-open if it serves substantial food for less than €9?

. Can a pub re-open if it serves sandwiches that cost more than €9?

. Can a pub use a catering service to meet the food requirements?

. Why can a small pub that serves food open before a large pub than can implement social distancing, but doesn't serve food?

And while we all get into a frenzy over which pub can open when, all pubs in the North will be opening on 3rd July. So if you fancy a pint without the food , pack your bag and book a B&B.

Comments

What's The Beef With Beef ?

The Irish Beef Industry has been going through turbulent times recently, most notably because of the proposed Mercosur deal and the prices farmers receive for their cattle. We haven't even reached Brexit yet, and are still weeks out from the latest withdrawal deadline, and beef farmers are at their wits end. But how has it got to this and can farmers cope if there is a no-deal Brexit? Farmers' incomes are under threat, not just because of the reasons outlined above, but also because of the threat to grants which keep small and medium farms in business. The recent EU elections have seen the status quo remain in the European Parliament, with parties of the right keeping their large dominance of the union. There has been some debate surrounding the EU's agricultural plan over the course of the previous five year parliament, particularly regarding the EU's farm subsidy. Now that the elections are over, the EU government could proceed with plans which could see a standard ...

Elitism Prevails

Elitism Prevails In 2013 the people of Ireland voted to retain our second house of democracy, Seanad Éireann; but it was a narrow victory and was predicated by a general understanding that the Irish electorate wanted to see this pathetic resemblance of democracy to be seriously reformed. Nine years later, that elitism that was promised to be rid from our flawed democracy is still thriving. Next month, March 2022, we will see a by-election for a Seanad seat that was vacated by the Labour Party’s Ivana Bacik when she was elected to the only truly democratic house in the state, Dáil Éireann. But despite an electorate in the millions, only some 60,000 people will be granted the privilege of voting; graduates from Trinity College Dublin, an institute with a deep history of elitism and sectarianism. Of the sixty seats in the Seanad, graduates of TCD have the privilege of voting for three of those Seanadóirí, and the combined institutes that form the National Universities...

A 2023 Election Not To Be Ruled Out

With the Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Green Party coalition now entering its third year of a maximum five-year term, many are of the opinion that the trio will ride out the rather undesirable polling figures and wait until the last possible moment to call another general election. Another common opinion is that an election will be called in the second half of 2024, how late in that half dependent on the results of the European and Local elections in May of that year. Both valid points, particularly the latter; a bumper budget in October, semi-decent canvassing weather, and pre-empting the inevitable winter healthcare crisis, all make for a workable scenario for the government parties. However, strategically speaking, taking those points and applying them to October 2023 may make more sense for Martin, Varadkar, and Ryan, should they be willing to gamble their final year of the term for the prospects of another five-year stint running Leinster House. Despite current polling having ...

Séighin Ó Ceallaigh

Search This Blog