Dear Mr Martin, it is unreasonable that a 50 person limit has been set for Religious gatherings, when many places of worship could safely hold many more people, while still maintaining proper safety protocol and social distancing. 

For many Religious communities the local congregation exceeds 1000 attendees each weekend. The present limitations would require over 20 services in a weekend to meet the needs of those congregations; which is unreasonable by any standards.

Due to these unrealistic restrictions many Religious  services would have to refuse entry to many families and individuals who have been starved for months of their spiritual nourishment.

Please do not continue to neglect the spiritual needs, and right to worship, of the Irish people because of arbitrary numbers that may work for other social settings or non-essential gatherings. For many Irish people attending religious services is not an optional extra, but the very heart of their spiritual, personal and community life, and a right which many feel the government are infringing upon by setting the maximum number so far below the normal gathering number for large Churches, Mosques, Synagogues and other places of worship throughout the country. 

Please reconsider and increase the maximum number for congregations in larger religious buildings, and especially for outdoor services. 

At least be open to having a dialogue with religious leaders, rather than dictating rules that are not being implemented in other settings.