Public Masses to be permitted from Tuesday

The Government has decided to lift the controversial ban on people attending Mass and other religious services.

Congregations will be permitted to gather for public worship from next Tuesday (December 1).

The Cabinet met this afternoon (Friday) and approved a plan for the Republic to move to level three restrictions. Meanwhile, in the North people are forbidden to attend religious ceremonies for a two-week period aimed at slowing the spread of the virus there.

The Government in the Republic also decided that between December 18 and January 6 people will be permitted to travel throughout the country and up to three households can gather.

Public Masses recommenced on June 29 following the first Covid-19 lockdown having been suspended since mid-March.

On September 18, public worship was banned in Co. Dublin as restrictions were tightened for what the authorities said would be a period of three weeks. However, in early October the rest of the country was moved to higher restrictions and public Masses have been banned since.