An Taoiseach Micheál Martin caused a stir on social media yesterday by telling RTÉ's Raidió na Gaeltachta that "no consideration will be given to opening hospitality until midsummer."

Current Level 5 restrictions expire on March 5 but it is expected that they will be extended until at least the Easter period. Publicans and restaurant owners that had been hoping to reopen soon after that were disappointed with Mr.Martin's comments yesterday, with many taking to Twitter to air their frustrations... https://twitter.com/theshedsbar/status/1363118298544689155 https://twitter.com/melletts1797/status/1363116616016416773 https://twitter.com/57theheadline/status/1363121927737528320 https://twitter.com/NoelAnderson_/status/1363139065336520707 https://twitter.com/PaulTreyvaud/status/1363108584507248644 https://twitter.com/GrogansPub/status/1363091566932488192 Pubs that don't serve food have been closed since March of last year while restaurants and pubs that do serve food have been allowed to open for periods during the pandemic. The industry has been calling for additional support as the prospect of another few months of closure looms large. An announcement on the revised Living with Covid plan is expected in the coming week. READ NEXT: The Irish entrepreneur spreading love through fun socks