Diane Dodds: Executive must have open and honest discussion about reducing social distancing to 1m

The Stormont Executive needs to have an “open and honest” discussion about reducing social distancing to one metre, Economy Minister Diane Dodds said.
Diane DoddsDiane Dodds
Diane Dodds

Hospitality businesses have been pressing for the relaxation to allow them to make the most of the remainder of the tourist season this summer.

With two metres, restaurants would be running at about 30% of capacity.

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At one metre it would be 75 or 80%, the minister told the Assembly’s ad-hoc committee on Covid-19.

She said: “That gives them a decent chance of survival.

“It is something we in the Executive and the Assembly will have to have that open and honest discussion about.”

Mrs Dodds has been discussing with businesses the possibility of them using more open-air spaces like pavements to enable safe distancing.

She said the hospitality sector had made an “enormous sacrifice” since March and could not envisage the need for social distancing disappearing soon.

“There is an argument for allowing people to use outdoor spaces as part of that.”

She said it could help ensure the sector’s viability.