The Electric Picnic promoter has said it hopes to go ahead with the festival if the Government's vaccination programme is completed in time. *

In a statement on Twitter on Monday, the festival organisers said it “remains in Government hands” for the event to take place as scheduled this year between September 3rd and 5th at Stradbally, Co Laois.

Festival Republic is the promoter of the Electric Picnic which has a capacity of 70,000 and has sold out in recent years.

Hospital Report

Managing director Melvin Benn has already announced that the Reading and Leeds festivals will go ahead at the end of August if allowed to do so by the British government.

Pandemic savings: How some people have saved thousands by working from home

---

Covid-19: Austria suspends batch of AstraZeneca vaccine as precaution after death

---

Coronavirus: 525 new cases and three further deaths as 19,228 more vaccines given

---

Chris Johns: Growing the economy, not cutting debt, must be our priority

---

Mr Benn told BBC Radio 1 last month he was “very confident” both the Reading and Leeds events could take place.

Headliners Stormzy, Post Malone and Liam Gallagher have been announced for the twin festivals which are scheduled to go ahead on August between August 27th and 29th, the weekend before Electric Picnic is due to take place.

The British government has announced that all Covid-19 restrictions will be lifted in England on June 21st if the country's vaccination programme is completed. A third of the population of Britain have been vaccinated to date.

The Government here has pledged to vaccinate every adult in the country by September, but Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told a Fine Gael parliamentary meeting last week that he hoped the target of September could be brought forward.

The event licences for most outdoor festivals in the State including Electric Picnic were rolled over from last year and fans allowed to keep their tickets for rescheduled events if they go ahead.

* This article was updated on March 8th, 2021 to include a statement from the Electric Picnic promoter.