Government flip flops on children's shoe shops

Parents of young children have been calling for the decision. File picture. 

The Taoiseach has confirmed that children's shoe fittings will be allowed by appointment only.

Micheál Martin said that the Government "takes the point" that the footwear is essential and said that updated regulations would be drawn up for allowing measurements on children's feet by appointment.

Earlier, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said that he wants to see children’s shoes added to the essential retail list immediately.

There were medical implications for children and he was clear in his view that they needed to be added to the essential retail list. 

“They need to be opened immediately,” he told RTÉ radio’s News at One.

Current guidelines said footwear for children was deemed non-essential, meaning that parents will have to wait at least five months to have their children's feet measured.

Parents of younger children have raised the issue in recent days, saying that the process of trying to measure feet at home is difficult or unwieldy. 

With most shoe shops closed, parents have had to measure their children's feet at home, guess the correct size and buy online.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar had told the Prime Time programme last night that while shoes are essential, they could be purchased online but said that work would be progressed on how to sell shoes to children.

“I think we’ll need to look at that if there’s a particular condition they have”,” he said last night.

The Health Minister also said that he believed there was a role for antigen testing – in workplaces, meat plants and schools. 

However, he said that there were differing scientific views on the rapid testing as there were concerns about accuracy and false readings which could lead to a false sense of security.

Mr Donnelly also defended the move to an age based vaccination system, saying there was a need to prioritise a way that minimised risk and damage so that the country could open us as quickly as possible.

“No one is going to the back of the queue,” he said. The new system was transparent and fair going on the basis of age.

Teachers were not at significantly higher risk he said.