There could be another hammer blow in the offering for the local hospitality sector after the Taoiseach suggested the next stage of easing Covid-19 restrictions could be delayed over concerns about the Delta variant.
Micheal Martin has told the Irish Independent “nothing can be guaranteed” because of the more transmissible strain.
He’s also hinted the re-opening of international travel on July 19th will only apply to fully vaccinated people.
The HSE has confirmed this morning that three-quarters of the computer servers have now been unlocked, after the recent cyber attack. Hospitals such as Sligo and Letterkenny University Hospitals have been severely impacted following the attack on their IT systems.
The HSE is expected to tell an Oireachtas committee today 70% of computer devices are now available again.
But it’s warning it will take months before systems are fully restored – and the attack will have ‘human costs’.
Chief operations officer, Anne O’Connor, says outpatient appointments are still badly affected.
Entertainment industry representatives are also going before the Oireachtas Committee on Culture and the Arts today. Representatives for the entertainment sector say as long as restrictions on live music remain, the Pandemic Unemployment Payment shouldn’t change to a lower rate.
The Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland says those in the sector unable to work because of covid-19, should be able to remain at the current rate of the PUP.
