CNA Staff, Jun 26, 2020 / 09:00 am
Churches and other places of worship in Ireland will be permitted to open to more than 50 people, following a new exception to the country's Phase Three coronavirus reopening. The exception was announced on Thursday evening.
Ireland's Phase Three reopening sets a limit of 50 people for indoor gatherings, and 100 people for outdoor gatherings. In Phase Four, the indoor limit will be raised to 100. Ireland enters Phase Three on Monday.
On Thursday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that houses of worship would not be subjected to the same "indoor gathering" rules, and would be permitted to police their own congregations in line with social distancing norms.
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin had raised concerns about the feasibility of the 50-person limit, given the size of many Catholic churches in Ireland compared to the number of people who would wish to go to Mass. Retail locations in Ireland are not subjected to hard-number caps. Instead, they are instructed to ensure that people are practicing social distancing.