Ministers and advisers clash over ‘incredibly risky’ indoor dining plan

Allowing children dine indoors with their parents is ‘exactly what we don’t want’, says Nphet modeller, while the government remains determined to press ahead with reopening plans despite rising Delta numbers

Outside dining for now, but proposals to reopen indoor dining by July 26 remained on track this weekend despite tensions between ministers and Nphet. Picture: Fergal Phillips

A growing rift is emerging between public health advisers and the government over the move to allow unvaccinated children dine indoors with their parents as part of the planned reopening of the hospitality sector.

Proposals to reopen indoor dining by July 26 remained on track this weekend, but tensions increased over the cabinet’s decision to allow unvaccinated under 18-year-olds into indoor hospitality settings when accompanied by parents amid sharply rising case numbers driven by the ...