A delay to the opening of indoor dining is "not inevitable" according to the Tánaiste.
NPHET will meet today to give advice to government on the spread of the Delta variant.
While Ministers are hopeful of being given advice from NIAC on the use of the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines in under 50s.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar says decisions on re-opening tomorrow will be cautious:
"What we want to avoid is having to go backwards. And we want to avoid a situation whereby it's start-stop. So, a slow, cautious, methodical, logical approach is what we've done up until now, had a very successful reopening so far and we want to stay on that track".
Business owners are calling for clarity so they can make the necessary preparations.
A West Waterford gastropub owner says they've been treated 'disgracefully' by the government.
Emilene Stafford says they have hired new staff, taken bookings and invested in their business.
She's told WLR the lack of clarity around reopening is a real problem.
"I think the main thing is if NPHET feel it's not safe to open us, that's fine, 100%. We understand where they are coming from. But let us know at this point it's seven days to 'D' day for us and we still don't know where we stand and it's just a disgrace to be treated like this."
