A local restaurant owner says the easing of restrictions will greatly boost the local hospitality sector.
Fergus Murphy of Murph's Bistro at the Derragarra Inn told the Wider View today that it's important to reinstate 12am closing time and "get people back sitting at the bar".
He said he kept the restaurant open under current restrictions "to keep staff employed" but it is not sustainable in the long term.
Mr Murphy also highlighted how people "didn't bother" to book tables after the 8pm curfew was introduced because it did not allow them to socialise the way they wanted to.
Easing the restrictions is the way forward now, he added.
But there must be no more lockdowns.
"The great thing about going back to 12 O'clock closing time is that staff and employers have a secure job and business in which to operate," continued Mr Murphy.
"But only if we have no more lockdowns; there can be no more lockdowns, we have to learn to live with this [Covid-19]."
