Pubs could remain closed until a coronavirus vaccine has been discovered, Health Minister Simon Harris revealed today.

Punters pining for a pint in their local may have to wait until as far off as 2021, with experts predicting that we won’t have a vaccine before the end of the year at the earliest.

Mr Harris has said he does not think Ireland can fully re-open pubs before a vaccine or effective treatment for COVID-19 is found.

The Minister for Health is ruling out mass gatherings in the country for the foreseeable future - with little hope of pubs being open again this summer.

The Minister said: "I'd like to see a situation whereby our schools could come back or at least could come partially back.

"What's not going to come back quickly are scenarios in which we can't safely socially distance.

"So I can't see how people can be in packed pubs again as long as this virus is still with us and we don't have a vaccine or an effective treatment.”

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There may be some hope of a very limited re-opening of some smaller pubs at some stage over the summer.

"However, even if this was to happen, they would still face very strict limits on the numbers allowed inside.

Most pubs closed down on Sunday, March 15 after the Government held discussions with with the Licenced Vintners Association (LVA) and the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI).

Several Dublin bars had already taken the decision to close prior to that date in a bid to protect their staff and customers.

Mr Harris made the comments in an interview with the Sunday Independent, and we will have a reaction from the LVA shortly, who say that waiting until a vaccine before pubs can reopen would be "nightmare scenario" which would see hundreds of businesses shut down.