Irish Hotels Federation 'did not give clearance' for #golfgate event

They claim that it highlights "limitations" around Government communications about Covid-19 health guidelines to its sector.

The hotel body said it "provides general advice and had no role in organising or providing clearance for this event".

It added: "At all times we encourage hotels and guesthouses to comply with the required guidelines."

Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced changes to the guidelines on Tuesday, specifically reducing the number of people allowed to gather indoors from 50 down to six. There were 81 people at the Oireachtas Golf Society event on Wednesday evening.

Today the IHF, which says it gets its information about public health responsibilities for hotels and guesthouses from the Department of Tourism and Fáilte Ireland, said there was a "time-lag" between the Government press conference announcing new Covid-19 measures on Tuesday evening and them getting clarification from the Department on Friday.

The IHF, therefore, understood that guidance, which allowed for indoor gatherings of a maximum of 50 people at any one time, applied up to the time of the Department's clarification on Friday afternoon.

Therefore, at the time of Wednesday's Oireachtas Golf Society event 50 people were allowed, including hotel staff and any other event support workers, instead of the new six-person recommendation announced on Tuesday. 

The hospitality body also says that "multiple gatherings" were allowed in venue facilities provided they were in "separate defined spaces" and there were systems in place to prevent intermingling in common spaces, such as entrances, exits and toilets.

IHF statement in relation to operational guidelineshttps://t.co/c02FfFsjnZ

— Irish Hotels Federation (@IHFcomms) August 21, 2020

A spokesman from The Station House Hotel, where the event was held, had said on Friday: "My understanding of dining arrangements is that in any dining room it has to be less than 50.

"There were 81 people at the event who dined with us, divided into 45 and 36. It's not a Mickey Mouse partition, it's a proper physical structure that divides two rooms, but it can be removed."

The IHF has said it has "experienced first-hand" the challenges for businesses around Government communications of public health advice.

The body specified Government press conferences announcing changes to public health advice in the absence of updated operational guidelines for businesses.

The IHF said: "As a result of this time-lag, there is an established process in place with the Department of Tourism for when changes are announced in that the status quo remains in place until updated guidance is issued by the Department. 

"This means that the new advice does not come into effect for tourism businesses until updated guidance is developed and communicated through the Department. 

"This time-lag can create significant challenges, given public expectations around newly announced Government advice.

"The issues raised this week show the limitations in relation to current official communications around changes to public health advice to industry."

They said Fáilte Ireland is updating the relevant guidelines which will be available early next week.

• Timeline supplied by the Irish Hotels Federation:
• Tuesday evening (18th August): the Government held a press conference in which additional public health measures affecting food businesses were announced.
• Wednesday morning (19th August): The IHF received a follow-up query from the organiser of the Oireachtas Golf Society in relation to the guidelines for indoor gatherings. We indicated that we had no update from the Department of Tourism on the Guidelines.
• Wednesday morning (19th August): In response to queries in relation to Tuesday’s announcement, the Department of Tourism informed the IHF that the status quo [existing guidance] remained until clarification was received [in consultation with the Department of Health]. NOTE: Existing Guidance at that time still allowed for indoor gatherings of a maximum of 50 people at any one time including hotel staff and any other event support workers. Multiple gatherings were allowed in venue facilities provided they were in separate defined spaces and there were systems to prevent intermingling in common spaces (e.g. entrances, exits and toilet facilities).
• Wednesday morning (19th August): Following the Department of Tourism update, the IHF informed all hotels and guesthouses that the status quo remained pending updated guidance from the Department of Tourism.
• Friday afternoon (21st August): The IHF received interim guidance from Fáilte Ireland in relation to gatherings and businesses serving food, including the restriction of gatherings to six people indoors and 15 people outdoors with weddings for up to 50 people including staff exempt.