Fine Gael TDs have hit out at the possibility that concerns over the Delta variant might delay reopening indoor hospitality and reduce the numbers allowed to attend indoor and outdoor events from July 5.

Last night a private Fine Gael meeting heard several contributors criticise the suggestion that the loosening of restrictions on July 5 could be delayed for two to three weeks.

The news comes as party leader Leo Varadkar called the rise in Delta variant cases a “dark cloud on the horizon” ahead of ministers signing off on the next phase of reopening, set for next week.

Last night at the Fine Gael meeting, Galway TD Ciarán Cannon read out a message from a restaurateur who plans to open on July 5 – regardless of the Government decision – and also raised concerns on behalf of the entertainment industry.

Senator Barry Ward said it was important that a marker was put down to show that the Government – not the experts – govern.

OPW Minister Patrick O’Donovan said the country had to live with the variant and it could not be locked up in a “yo-yo fashion” as this was not governance.

However, Louth TD Fergus O’Dowd said it would be “cautious and prudent” to wait until more people are vaccinated before reopening further, and said people he had been talking to were happy to wait another two or three weeks if necessary.

Government sources last night indicated plans to reopen international travel on July 19 are likely to proceed.

With plans already in place for the EU Digital Covid Cert, and Ireland having committed to engaging in the scheme from July 19, it is believed that it is unlikely that this date will be pushed back further.

“I think Ireland would be very reluctant to be an outlier – where every other European country says ‘you can fly under these conditions’ – but we say ‘no you can’t’,” said a Government source.

“If we opt in to the Covid Digital Cert, we have to opt in properly. The good news is that when you’re fully vaccinated, you are fully protected – it’s not that we have a new virus or a new variant where we don’t have a vaccine for it. It’s just a matter of getting enough people fully vaccinated."

However, concerns remain around the spread of the Delta variant and ministers are anxious as to what Nphet’s advice will be next week.

Last night, ministers were concerned but hopeful that reopening can proceed as planned.

Nphet will meet next Wednesday, with the Cabinet’s Covid sub-committee meeting the same day. On the following day Ministers will then sign off on how the next phase of reopening will look.

While doubts have been raised that indoor dining may now not resume on July 5 as planned, one source said indoor dining is open in Northern Ireland and the UK – and that by next week hundreds of thousands of people will have received their first or second jabs.

However concerns remain around case numbers rising in Donegal, due to its close proximity to Derry, where the epidemiological situation has worsened.

“It’s an uncertain environment. The Government position is that the date is July 5 – but a decision won’t be made, and can’t be made, until more data is available,” Mr Varadkar said yesterday.

He also confirmed surplus AstraZeneca vaccine supplies may be given to younger people, saying that NIAC is currently examining such advice. 

It is understood that when decisions are made on reopening, there will be a shift in focus from the number of possible cases which will come as a result of the spread of the Delta variant, to the possible number of hospitalisations that may arise.

Ministers will next week receive a briefing from Nphet with projections for hospitalisations and cases if the reopening continues as planned, and if it is delayed.

UK data shows that those who contract the Delta variant are around 2.6 times more likely to be hospitalised – but it is not known yet how this varies among age groups.

"Even if we think cases are going up, we can keep going with reopening because cases aren't the metric anymore, it's hospitalisations," said a source last night.