New laws to allow for mandatory mask-wearing in certain settings

The green light has been given to draft new laws around mandatory mask wearing in certain settings.

Ministers want to have the power available to bring back a mask mandate should there be a big Covid surge in the winter.

The actual laws haven’t been drafted yet and as such won’t be passed before the Dáil’s summer recess.

But they will be on the agenda early in the new term in September.