Cinemas will be allowed to open again in Ireland from August 10 under social distancing guidelines provided measures to restrict the spread of the virus are successful.
The reopening of cinemas is the fifth and final phase in the Government’s roadmap to easing COVID-19 restrictions following the pandemic outbreak, a document announced by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to form part of a phased easing of restrictions.
The first phase will begin on May 18th, involving the return of select retail outlets and outdoor workers such as builders, as well as the opening of childcare for healthcare workers and certain outdoor public amenities, and the allowance of small outdoor meetings between people of different households. Further phases will follow at three-week intervals. Museums, galleries and ‘other cultural outlets’ will re-open to the public from July 20th.
Most of the major cinemas in Ireland have been closed previous to the Government ordered closure of all non-essential businesses in the country on March 25th.
In a statement, the Irish government said: “As a country, we can only move from one phase to the next if the virus stays under control between each phase.”
Support measures
The European Commission approved a €200m ($220m) scheme to support Irish companies impacted by the outbreak, which was made accessible to firms with 10 or more full-time employees that expected a decline in turnover of at least 15% as a result of the virus crisis. The maximum aid was capped at €800,000 ($875,000) per company.
Ireland’s Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection also introduced a plan whereby companies could keep staff that would have otherwise been laid off and pay them a jobseeker’s welfare payment, which the firm could later reclaim from the government.
The Irish government and banks also supplied short-term, low-cost loans for companies with liquidity issues. In addition, the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment was increased from €203 to €350 for employees who lost their jobs as a result of the outbreak and a temporary wage subsidy scheme was launched to provide employees, who experienced significant economic disruption, with a subsidy payment ranging from 70% to 85% based on earnings.
Click here to read the Government’s roadmap for the easing of COVID-19 restrictions