Life under modified level 3 restrictions kicks in tomorrow.
As of midnight tonight Ireland will leave level 5 and enter into a period of life under modified level three restrictions.
From tomorrow, December 1st, all Non-essential retail, hairdressers and gyms will be among the first places to reopen.
While restaurants and gastropubs will also reopen, but will have to wait slightly longer until Friday, December 4th.
The below restrictions will be in place until the 18th of December, when inter-country travel will be allowed.
Social and family gatherings
In your home or garden
You should not mix with any other households outside of those within your support bubble.
Other settings outside your home or garden
In outdoor settings away from your home or garden, up to 6 people from a maximum of 2 households can meet while maintaining strict physical distancing.
Face coverings are recommended in busy or crowded areas.
Weddings
Weddings can go ahead, but with a limit of 25 guests for ceremony and reception (irrespective of venue).
Couples resident in a particular county, but with existing plans to get married, can travel to get married outside that county.
Organised indoor gatherings
These are controlled environments with a named event organiser, owner or manager.
For example: business, training events, conferences, events in theatres and cinemas or other arts events (excluding sport).
No organised indoor gatherings should take place.
Exception:
Cinemas can open with protective measures in place.
Organised outdoor gatherings
These are controlled environments with a named event organiser, owner or manager. For example: outdoor arts events, training events.
Gatherings of up to 15 people can take place.
Face coverings are recommended in busy or crowded areas.
Sports
Training
Outdoors: Non contact training only in pods of up to 15 (for example: golf, tennis, horse riding, hunting, Gaelic games, soccer, outdoor basketball).
There is an exemption for professional and elite sports and approved inter-county Gaelic games.
Indoors: Individual training only. No exercise or dance classes (for example: no ballet, gymnastics, basketball, racketball, squash, zumba, drama).
Matches and events
No matches or other sporting events should take place, with the following exceptions:
- professional and elite sports
- approved inter-county Gaelic games
- horse racing and greyhound racing
- approved equestrian events
- approved coursing events
These should all take place behind closed doors.
Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools
Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools can open for individual use only, with protective measures in place.
Religious services
Places of worship can open for services with a maximum of 50 people.
Face coverings are recommended.
Further guidance is available.
Funerals
Up to 25 mourners can attend.
Museums, galleries and other cultural attractions
Museums and galleries can open with protective measures in place.
Libraries are available for browsing, e-services, and call and collect. No seating or events.
Bars, cafes and restaurants (including hotel restaurants and bars)
From Friday 4 December, restaurants and pubs operating as restaurants (serving a substantial meal) can open for indoor dining with additional restrictions, including a requirement for meals to be prepared on site, inside the premises, with a maximum of 6 people per table.
This includes access for non-residents to restaurants in hotels.
Wet pubs
Delivery and take-away services only.
Nightclubs, discos and casinos
Nightclubs, discos and casinos remain closed.
Hotels and accommodation
Hotels, guesthouses and B&B's can open, but with services limited to residents.
Hotel restaurants can open to non-residents.
Retail and services (for example: hairdressers, beauticians, barbers)
Face coverings must be worn.
All retail shops and shopping centres can open. All services such as hairdressers, beauticians, barbers and opticians can open with strict adherence to sectoral guidance on protective measures.
There is specific guidance available for:
Work
Work from home unless absolutely necessary to attend in person.
Face coverings are recommended in crowded workplaces.
Domestic travel
Stay in your county apart from work, education, medical and other essential purposes, if appropriate.
Schools, early learning and childcare services, adult and higher education
Schools and creches are open with protective measures.
Further, higher and adult education should remain primarily online.
Outdoor playgrounds, play areas and parks
All remain open with protective measures in place.
Face coverings are recommended in busy or crowded areas.
Transport
Face coverings must be worn.
Walk or cycle where possible.
Public transport capacity limited to 50%.
Essential workers and essential purposes only.
Those aged over 70 and the medically vulnerable
Those aged over 70 and the medically vulnerable are advised to continue to exercise personal judgement.
It is recommended that they stay at home as much as possible, limit engagement to a very small network for short periods of time, while remaining physically distanced.
When taking exercise outdoors, it is important to maintain 2 metres distance from others and wash hands on returning home.
It is recommended to shop during designated hours only, while wearing a face covering, and to avoid public transport.
Long-term residential care facilities (nursing and care homes)
The Department of Health is aware of the impact of visiting restrictions on those residents in nursing homes and acknowledges the challenges of balancing protective measures with general wellbeing.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) continuously reviews its visiting guidance for nursing homes. This guidance has been updated providing for enhanced visiting while continuing to protect residents from COVID-19 as agreed at the recent NPHET meeting. It will be available on the HPSC website from Monday.
Face coverings
You should wear a face covering in crowded workplaces, places of worship and in busy or crowded outdoor spaces where there is significant congregation.
