Unvaccinated children will be allowed inside pubs and restaurants when they reopen later this month, a junior minister has confirmed.
However, they will have to be accompanied by an adult who is fully vaccinated.
It comes as the Government finalises plans to allow indoor dining and activities to reopen to vaccinated people, using what has been dubbed a 'corona pass' system.
Minister of State Niall Collins says Cabinet will hold an incorporeal meeting tomorrow to sign off on the plans.
The Fine Gael politician said the date for the resumption of indoor hospitality is likely to be July 26th.
He said: “Children are deemed to be low risk, and obviously children under 18 years of age haven’t been cleared for vaccination either.
“Balancing all the competing public health demands and societal demands… the decision of Government will be to allow unvaccinated children under 18 to attend indoor dining and hospitality, with adults who are fully vaccinated.”
Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is currently authorised for use in over 12s in the EU, although vaccination has not yet been expanded to younger teenagers in Ireland.
At-risk people aged 16 and over are being vaccinated, while anyone aged 18-34 can currently register to get a one-dose Janssen vaccine at a pharmacy.
