From 7 June, numbers permitted at organised outdoor events have increased to a maximum of 100 for the majority of venues, with a maximum of 200 for outdoor stadia/venues where there is a minimum capacity of 5,000. This is in addition to the pilot events.
In the Government’s plan for living with Covid the focus for the pilot events has been Ireland’s larger and purpose built venues. Work in these safer more controlled settings can then be adapted for other venues.
Following the recent Government decision to prepare for the safe reopening of live cultural, sporting and entertainment events, my Department has worked with the Department of Health and Department of the Taoiseach on the development of an initial programme of pilot live events in June and July. This broad programme includes sporting, cultural and live entertainment events, both indoors and outdoors, and which are being delivered in line with public health regulations, Government guidance and sectoral guidance. These pilot events will allow for sports, arts, culture and entertainment organisations to test necessary control and other measures in venues across a range of settings and have been designed to inform the safe reopening of these sectors. They will be subject to ongoing review including with respect to the prevailing public health situation.
As part of our preparations for the events, my Department has worked and continues to work with representative bodies and stakeholders from the culture, sport and live event sectors on the programme of events. Guidelines have been published last week on the Return to sportsgrounds and guidance for the pilot cultural and entertainment events are being finalised, in consultation with the sectoral representatives and stakeholders.
My Department engaged with the sector through the existing structures of the Combined Working Group on the Return to sportsgrounds and the Return to Live Entertainment Working Group to inform the development of the programme. The intention is that the pilots will pave the way for more events to be attended by spectators further into July and August with capacity increasing throughout the summer.
Additionally, Government has signalled its intention to further extend the capacities for outdoor organised events and the return to indoor organised events in July with further easing planned for the late summer/autumn. This will be further examined later this month having regard to the prevailing public health situation.
