Retail NI has urged the Executive to bring forward a comprehensive support package to assist small businesses as the Coronavirus emergency unfolds.
(The Chancelleor of the Exchequor has already announced support for businesses in England but there is a lack of clarity about the support to businesses in the devolved Northern Ireland area.)
Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said: “It is welcome news that the Infrastructure Minister has written to Councils to remove delivery curfews for food retailers to enable them to restock faster. Retail NI would urge consumers not to panic buy and to shop normally. It is also important that they recognise the huge pressure on retail staff at the minute and to show them courtesy and respect.
“The Executive needs to bring forward a comprehensive support package to assist small traders during the Coronavirus crisis.
“Top of that list is giving local small businesses in Northern Ireland the same 100% rates relief that their counterparts in England and Scotland will have.
“Our members are dealing the same crisis and therefore deserve the same assistance as the rest of the UK.
“Governments in Edinburgh, Dublin and London have all introduced programmes to assist their small traders and we need ours to step up to the plate.
“Our local economy is facing its biggest ever crisis and we need immediate action to save local small businesses before they are forced to close their doors for good.”
MEETING of Irish Government and Northern Ireland Executive Ministers concerning North South cooperation to deal with Covid-1.
Senior representatives of the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government and their Chief Medical Officers met today in Armagh to review the current situation regarding the COVID-19 virus and how best to tackle the outbreak.
The Northern Ireland Executive was represented by First Minister Arlene Foster MLA, deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA and Health Minister Robin Swann MLA. The Irish Government was represented by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney TD, and Minister for Health Simon Harris TD.
At the meeting, detailed briefings were provided by the respective Chief Medical Officers, Dr. Michael McBride and Dr. Tony Holohan, and the very serious challenges to public health which are posed by COVID-19, North and South, were discussed.
All present recognised the challenging situation faced by the two jurisdictions sharing this island. It was agreed that everything possible will be done in coordination and cooperation between the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive and with the active involvement of the health administrations in both jurisdictions to tackle the outbreak. Protection of the lives and welfare of everyone on the island is paramount, and no effort will be spared in that regard.
The meeting took place at the Secretariat offices of the North South Ministerial Council, in Armagh.
