Pubs and bars that don't serve food, are to stay closed as the government has delayed progressing to phase four.
Cabinet has made the decision not to proceed after taking advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team into account.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin has also announced that the numbers of people allowed to gather indoors and outdoors will remain unchanged.
BREAKING: Taoiseach confirms Phase 4 is being paused again. pic.twitter.com/iuQM0I4rn1
— Shane Beatty (@ShaneBeattyNews) August 4, 2020
It means a maximum of 50 people can gather indoors and 200 outdoors.
Cabinet has also confirmed that face coverings will be mandatory in shops and shopping centres from August 10th.
The Travel Green List has also been altered, with five destinations removed from it. These are Cyprus, Malta, Gibraltar, Monaco and San Marino.
Acting CMO Dr. Ronan Glynn says “we must ensure we are in the best position possible” to manage any increase in cases. He says we cannot now take any unnecessary risks that would end up going backwards with our Phases.
— Shane Beatty (@ShaneBeattyNews) August 4, 2020
On his way into a Cabinet meeting earlier, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said the Government was going to be cautious.
"We had a meeting with the Acting Chief Medical Officer now, and we'll have a Cabinet meeting next and a decision will be made at Cabinet and we'll announce it afterwards..
Mr Varadkar said he did not want to preempt the decision, but added: "What I can say is it's an unfortunate truth that this pandemic is still raging across the world, and even in Europe where it's under relative control.
"We have seen an increase in cases across Europe, including here in Ireland, so relative to other European countries we're still doing quite well and we want to keep it that way.
"And we want to make sure we do nothing that jeopardizes the opening of schools and colleges over the next couple of weeks.
"That's why, on the advice of NPHET, we'll be recommending to Cabinet that we take a very cautious approach for the next couple of weeks.
"I know that's going to come as a further blow to some of the sectors that have not been re-opened - but we just can't risk moving backwards to risk the schools re-opening".
BREAKING: Tanaiste says the decision made at Cabinet today will come as a “further blow” to sectors which have so far been unable to reopen. (This doesn’t sound positive for pubs) pic.twitter.com/sRdixLwdtt
— Shane Beatty (@ShaneBeattyNews) August 4, 2020
Phase four was originally due to kick in on July 20th, but was put back due to a rise in cases.
