''It will depend on the numbers and on how the virus behaves between now and then''.
The Tánaiste has said he can't guarantee pubs will be able to open on August 10th.
It comes after a decision not to allow them to open on Monday, with a review to happen in three weeks.
Leo Varadkar has acknowledged it's a hammer blow for publicans.
Speaking in the Dail he said the government is not promising that pubs will reopen next month but rather, they will open no sooner than August 10th.
''We are not saying they will open on the tenth of August'', he said.
''We are saying they will open no sooner than the tenth of August. And it will depend on the numbers and on how the virus behaves between now and then''.
Independent TD Michael Healy Rae says rural pubs should be allowed to open.
''We've always said that the Irish pubs are unique,all country pubs are unique'', he said.
''They're catering for smaller groups of people and they know their customers and all they wanted to do was open up in a small way, so that people could come in from the countryside and have a drink''.
