The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland  wants the sector to be given the opportunity to open together, after rumours circulated that wet pubs would remain shut.

"The idea that non-food pubs should be forced to remain shut is a non-starter, especially when you consider the Government’s own data that pubs are responsible for such a small number of outbreaks," says Padraig Cribben, Chief Executive of the VFI.

“We have 50,000 staff waiting this week to find out if they can go back to work. They need to be working in December to provide a reasonable Christmas for their families and are surely entitled to that as a minimum, after the best part of nine months on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment,” Mr Cribben says.

The Licensed Vintners Association , which represents pubs in Dublin, says some iconic Dublin pubs have been closed for 253 days, including Grogans, McDaids and O’Donoghues. In the capital, wet pubs were never allowed to reopen.