Outdoor gatherings of up to 5,000 people may be permitted from September and cinemas could open in August as measures introduced to limit the spread of Covid-19 are eased, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said. Speaking to reporters in Dublin, Mr Varadkar said that if the disease stays suppressed “we could see some smaller outdoor or mass gatherings in September, maybe outdoor cultural events of a few thousand people - 3,000 or 4,000 or 5,000, but (it is) unlikely to be more than that. Under the Government’s Covid-19 roadmap, theatres, cinemas, nightclubs and casinos can reopen from July 20th but only if social distancing measures can be implemented. They said a total of €20 million was being allocated to the Arts Council, bringing its total for the year to €100 million. “The pandemic hasn’t been easy for our artists and cultural institutions, and I know their livelihoods have been hit hard.

Source: The Irish Times June 16, 2020 12:19 UTC