Staffing shortages to affect indoor dining re-opening this week

The Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland Adrian Cummins has told the state broadcaster RTE that one out of every four businesses will not reopen for indoor dining, when new laws are relaxed from Monday, July 26.

"That is my gut feeling based on listening to businesses," he said.

He added that the "single biggest issue" for the hospitality sector was staffing problems.

"We don't have enough staff and we have to make sure we source as many as possible for our sector."

"What we need to do now is get our doors open from Monday and then look at how the operation of this new regime is in flow, and then we may have to go back to the Government to streamline what it is there to make it more operational for our industry."

"We are moving in the right direction but need to make sure it's streamlined into the future," he told RTÉ.