The Government has confirmed that the reopening of pubs will be deferred for at least another three weeks.

This decision has angered many rural pub owners in particular, who feel that it could devastate the industry and result in permanent closures.

Could the Government have treated rural pubs differently, adopting a county by county approach?

We spoke to Professor Eoghan De Barra, infectious disease expert and senior lecturer in the Department of International Health and Tropical Medicine at RCSI, and Peadar Toibín, Meath West TD and Aontú leader, about this.