The owner of one of Dublin’s most famous bars has said publicans have been “cast aside, cast adrift and left with nothing” by the Government.

Cabinet last night pushed back Phase Four of reopening for a second time – meaning pubs that don’t serve food will not open until the start of next month at the earliest.

The Taoiseach has said he has “enormous sympathy” for pub owners; however, the Vintners' Federation (VFI) has warned that “sympathy doesn't pay the bills.”

On The Pat Kenny Show this morning, Ronan Lynch, owner of the Swan Bar in Dublin and Chair of the Licenced Vintners Association said a support package should have been in place weeks ago.

“We are closed here for 46% of the year – 3,500 pubs, 22,000 jobs and there is no plan in place from the Government to deal with the closure here.

“We have been calling for a plan for weeks and there is a huge uncertainty there for the publicans, the staff and all their families. It is just a crazy situation that we find ourselves in here and there is no joined up thinking on this.

“If they want the pubs to close, they need to put in a support package immediately because it is just no good enough for all of these people that were depending on the pubs to be open at this stage.”

The Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly look on as acting CMO Dr Ronan Glynn discusses the postponement of Phase Four, 04-08-2020. Image: Julien Behal Photography.

He said there has been “nothing coming at all from the Government” despite repeated calls for talks on industry supports.

“We have been closed since March 14th,” he said. “It is just absolutely crazy that we are being treated in this manner.

“It is crazy for an industry that plays such a key role in Irish society and for the Irish tourism market and we are just treated like this. Just totally cast aside, cast adrift and left with nothing. Nothing. We are staring into the unknown here.”

He criticised the Government for "heading off on their holidays" while thousands of pub staff are left “sitting down scratching our heads.”

“We need certainty and we need Government decisions and we need a mature conversation because it is just not good enough,” he said. “It is not good enough from anybody at this stage.”

The Swan Bar in Dublin on Day 46 of lockdown, 11-05-2020. Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews

He said the supports included in the July Stimulus package are not relevant to businesses that have been closed for nearly half the year.

“We were the first hit, the hardest hit, we are closed the longest and we don’t know where the future lies for us,” he said.

“We need a bigger support package than the July Stimulus, it is simply not good enough.”

On Newstalk Breakfast earlier the Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said the country was “on a knife edge” but insisted pubs will open sooner rather than later.

Mr Lynch said the main error the Government was not fully opening hospitality in Phase Three.

“The pubs that have opened in Phase Three have operated to the guidelines,” he said. “The staff have been trained, the customers have bought in, the guidelines have been respected and that is all backed up by the Garda report.

“Really the smart thing to do would have been to open up all hospitality in Phase Three. That is what we should have done.”

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