Varadkar says Government considering double bank holiday for St. Patrick’s day
Varadkar says Government considering double bank holiday for St. Patrick’s day
The current government is considering adding a second bank holiday to the Saint Patrick’s day bank holiday weekend. This will be a day to “recognise pandemic workers”
The Government were expected to announce a new bank holiday for Saint Brigid’s day on 31 January or on 5 February next year.
Tainiste Leo Varadar spoke to Claire Byrne this morning on RTÉ Radio 1. He said that it would be inappropriate to announce a new public holiday early next year given the current situation in Irish hospitals.
“We kind of feel that announcing a public holiday for the 31st of January, which would be St Brigid’s Day, or the 5th of February, would be inappropriate given where we are in the pandemic,” Varadkar said.
He went on to say that adding a bank holiday to Saint Patrick’s day would be appropriate as in many ways it marks 2 years since the pandemic began in Ireland.
“One option that we’re looking at is the 18th of March, so you’d have a double bank holiday which would be the 17th and 18th of March for St Patrick’s Day, two years since the pandemic began in many ways, at least in Ireland.”
A holiday for Saint Brigid is not completely off the table however it looks like we will have to wait an extra year for a female-centred bank holiday.
“And then what we would do after that from 2023 onwards would be a permanent new bank holiday for St Brigid’s Day but that decision isn’t made yet, but we just thought it would be inappropriate to announce tomorrow that we’re having another public holiday,” said Varadkar.
Later today Varadkar is expected to discuss more restrictions but said a full lockdown would be a “big mistake”.
