Calls have been made for the reintroduction of financial supports for the hospitality sector after the Government announced the introduction of a midnight curfew for pubs, nightclubs and restaurants from tomorrow.
The sector is warning of job losses and believes many venues will be forced to close after only re-opening just three weeks ago.
Restricted trading hours will also impact traditional pubs who have to cope with cancelled bookings ahead of what was meant to be a busy Christmas period as public health advice is to avoid social gatherings.
And Christmas parties are the latest victim of the new restrictions with many companies choosing to cancel the event or run a much smaller celebration for staff.
Michael Farrell owner of Farrell's Summerfield Bar in Youghal told RedFM News that supports for businesses who will now have to shut must be introduced with immediate effect.
"When you bring in more restrictions to people's livelihood you're reducing their turnover.
"It obviously impacts on the business financially, people with late night venues they've been effectively closed without any talks of compensation so I feel very sorry for them.
"Especially their employees - they've been taken off PUP. I think they'll have to bring in special measures for people working in the late night industry in particular.
"They're talking about cutting the supports from tomorrow on, and that's going to affect us down the road because we don't know what further restrictions they're going to put on us."
However the Health Minister says he doesn't believe the pandemic unemployment payment should return - despite new Covid restrictions.
Minister Stephen Donnelly says the government isn't going to reverse cuts to the PUP - or open it to new entrants.
"Not at this moment. Certainly the working from home measure shouldn't have any affect on people's jobs.
"There will be a number of people who will be affected by the midnight closing, there's no question about that.
"But the advice Government has, and what industry is saying right across the hospitality sector is that they are screaming out for people to take up jobs."
