Chambers Ireland: Government's Covid-19 policy is shifting week by week

Business group wants a nationally coordinated strategy

Ian Talbot, Chief Executive of Chambers Ireland said businesses need to know what will happen if their area gets caught up in the future restrictions. Picture: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

Chambers Ireland has written to the Taoiseach calling for a nationally coordinated strategy to manage the coronavirus in local economies.

Ian Talbot, the chief executive of the business representative body said they welcomed the early reconvening of the Dáil this week as there remain many policy areas which need the immediate attention of the government. 

"The transition from a set of temporary schemes to a longer-term response is to be welcomed but has not been communicated or co-ordinated as effectively as it might have been," he said.

His comments come after a local lockdowns were imposed and subsequently lifted on counties Kildare, Offaly and Laois.

"Businesses need to know what will happen if their area gets caught up in the future restrictions of an outbreak," Mr Talbot said.

"Staff need to know that their jobs will be supported if their area is locked down. Government action in the three counties that suffered the reintroduction of restrictions, while welcome, has been limited to mentoring supports, marketing for the county, and training vouchers. If businesses and jobs are to be sustained through periods of restrictions, additional supports for cashflow will be required," he said.

Chamber Ireland listed three main concerns:

• There is a need for additional supports to help areas where restrictions must be reintroduced, to sustain businesses that are active in those areas, and then to support them upon reopening.
• It is critical that there is a co-ordinated, coherent and clear programme of policy and communications from government, the absence of which is undermining the viability of businesses and the sustainability of our economy.
• There are failings in the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme which need to be addressed urgently.

"Critically, we need a generalised, co-ordinated and coherent policy response to this disease. 

"It is six months since the first Irish case of Covid-19 was diagnosed, and still businesses are trying to make decisions while the policy and regulatory environment is shifting on a month by month, even week by week, basis. 

"Businesses continue to call on Government to provide certainty and sustainable long-term support during what will be a difficult winter trading period," Mr Talbot said.