Retail Excellence Ireland call for three pillar response in light of emotional appeal
The Board of Directors from Retail Excellence Ireland have issued a statement calling for clarity on future retail activity and an early and full definition as to what will constitute essential retail.
The Board were responding to an emotional appeal this morning by the head of the group who pleaded with the government for a decree to halt non-essential commerce.
David Fitzsimons told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that the situation for the retail sector was now “dire” with 140,000 jobs lost in recent days and a further 200,000 jobs likely to be lost this week.
In a statement this morning the Board we re being inundated with requests for clarity in relation to future government policy on the ability of retailers to continue trading.
They said that the health and safety of retail colleagues and customers was a primary priority they were now calling on government to consider the implementation of a three-pillar plan.
The Government must, with immediate effect, define what retail categories they believe to be essential.
We must with immediate effect launch health & safety protocols for all retail with an emphasis on essential retail such as pharmacy and food. They are our first responders.
They must be supported and offered guidance to implement measures to function safely and keep Ireland functioning. They will soon be required to implement guidelines regarding perspex glass installation, distancing protocols, the use of gloves and masks or otherwise, infected site management. The HSE will inform us as to the required guidelines.
We must assist with the redeployment of people from retailers who have closed to essential retail. Please use the EMAIL
Business: All business costs such as commercial rents, rates and all other business costs must be paused with immediate effect. They must be underwritten by the State for the period of the economic suspension. When businesses return and recommence commercial activity, they must not be met with any of these expenditures.
People: We must support our people at this time. 200,000 retail colleagues and their families will be financially impacted by this crisis. All rent and mortgage payments must be paused. When Ireland returns to normality people must not have to face these costs retrospectively.
Adequate Social Welfare supports must be put in place to see people through the next six to ten weeks. Many EU countries are launching initiatives to pay 70-80% of people’s salary while they are out of work. Our colleagues have never faced a crisis of this scale. Their mental health is extremely important.
We must divide our resources into two:
We must resource our healthcare system to manage and curtail the Covid-19 outbreak.
The Government must contemplate the establishment of an economic recovery team. This team must prepare a plan for implementation when Ireland moves towards a point of recovery.
The Board said they would be making no further comment at this time.
'This is desperate': Head of Retail Excellence Ireland pleads for closure of all non-essential retail
The head of Retail Excellence Ireland said he had pleaded last weekend with the government for a decree to halt non-essential commerce.
David Fitzsimons told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that the situation for the retail sector was now “dire” with 140,000 jobs lost in recent days and a further 200,000 jobs likely to be lost this week.
“All non-essential retail should be shut down now,” he said.
“We need common sense in this crisis.”
Mr Fitzsimons said he has been coordinating with his European colleagues and all had agreed that three courses of action needed to be taken.
First there should be a decree that all non essential stores and commerce are closed, today.
Those that remain open such as pharmacies and grocery stores should have really clear distancing and payment protocols.
It was nonsensical he said to have people wandering around stores “browsing through handbags.”
He added: “let me be clear, we need a decree today. Don’t talk about VAT reductions.”
Mr Fitzsimons also called for €5,000 to €10,000 per week for essential businesses such as pharmacies and grocery stores so they can remain open and for them to put protective measures in place such as Perspex glass and to implement distance protocols.
Such businesses might also need the Gardaí and the army to ensure everyone is responsible and interacts with them in the correct way when they get their food and pharmacy, he added.
Phase two would be the Pause Phase, he said.
When we come back and open doors there can be no legacy bills. No mortgage payments, no rent, adequate social welfare supports.
Phase three would be the Recovery Phase, he explained where the government would have two sections – the Covid Emergency Response Unit which would deal with medical matters and the Economic Recovery team.
“We need to start planning the budget of all budgets for six to eight weeks time with no VAT for a year, no rates for a year, helicopter money.
“We need a business boost grant for absolutely every business around the country. At least €50,000, €60,000, €70,000 per store just to boost the economy and get it going again.
The difficulty is this is a global epidemic and problem, and we don’t have the IMF to go to for money.
"We are going to go through a phase of quantitative easing. They are going to have to print trillions of euros in Europe soon.”
Mr Fitzsimons said he had met with Minister Heather Humphreys last week and had attended emergency meetings with the government last weekend where he pleaded for a decree to stop non-essential retail.
“We need our government to support us, to lead us through a period of great concern.
"Let’s start planning a response to jolt our economy back in six to eight weeks.
“This is desperate.”
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said that there will be “a relentless campaign over the coming weeks and months” to tackle the coronavirus, but that any response from his department must be proportionate and consistent with public health policy.
Mr Donohoe acknowledged “the strain that the retail and many parts of our economy are under,” however, he refused to say whether the government would cease VAT payments for businesses, or whether they would introduce a decree to force non-essential businesses to close down.
Mr Donohoe told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that his department was already planning for a recovery and said “we have to handle these matters in the same spirit that our public health crisis is now being handled at the moment - we have to be honest, while offering justified hope.
“I think it's also important to emphasise the ability that we have to recover. We can recover from this public health challenge.”
Mr Donohoe said that further announcements would be made later this week to alleviate pressure on businesses.
However, he warned that the spread of the virus is expected to grow, but that there will be “a relentless campaign over the coming weeks and months to tackle the virus.”
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