The behaviour of "a very small minority" should not take away from the "significance" of the reopening of outdoor hospitality, Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has said. "Today is a day so many thousands of businesses across Dublin City, Dublin county, and across the entire country have waited for and have worked for," said Mr Harris. "The efforts that every single person in this country and benefits of the vaccine programme are now allowing us for the very first time this year to reopen restaurants, reopen pubs, reopen cinemas, people to visit each other's homes again, swimming pools, gyms, this is a very, very significant day." Challenge is to stay openMr Harris said the challenge now is to ensure that we reopen and stay open. "If there is a small minority of people who remain intent on causing danger on our streets, they will have to be dealt with through our criminal justice system."

Source: Irish Examiner June 07, 2021 14:37 UTC