Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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189. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if a business (details supplied) that sells a mix of products can remain open with a non-essential part sectioned off; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32764/20]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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192. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if guidelines will be provided to clothing retailers for which their primary source of sales is fashion clothing (details supplied); and his views on the matter of loopholes being used by a minority of retailers to operate against the spirit of the level 5 restrictions. [33059/20]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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195. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if essential retail outlets that also sell non-essential goods must close those departments and sections of their store that would be deemed non-essential under level 5 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33211/20]

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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196. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if he will clarify the position in relation to small retailers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33233/20]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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198. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment his plans to ensure that the purchase of children’s clothes is classified as essential retail under levels 4 and 5 of the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33319/20]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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199. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if the purchase of children’s clothes, underwear and winter jacks can be classified as essential retail under levels 4 and 5 of the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33321/20]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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200. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the closure of retail is causing difficulties for new parents who cannot go into a shop to buy baby clothes; if these restrictions will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33435/20]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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201. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment the details of the regulations regarding essential retail outlets and the sale of non-essential items in these retail outlets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33604/20]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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202. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment the regulations made in relation to the items supermarkets and other shops may sell during the operation of level 5. [33711/20]

Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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203. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if retailers, including supermarkets, are permitted to sell children's clothes and shoes under level 5 restrictions. [33895/20]

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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223. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding small businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32938/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 189, 192, 195, 196, 198 to 203, inclusive, and 223 together.

Under Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19, only essential retail outlets will remain open.

S.I. No. 448 of 2020 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 8) Regulations 2020 clearly sets out the temporary restrictions under Level 5 of the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID. A list of essential services can be found at and the list of essential retail outlets at Level 5 can be found at

Level 5 restricts people from physically going into non-essential stores in order to stop people congregating and browsing for non-essential goods, to limit the spread of the virus. All retailers – essential and non-essential – can however continue to trade via ‘remote ordering’ and fulfil orders for all products including non-essential items, by online or by phone, for home delivery and for collection.

Mixed retailers have been asked to separate their stock and only sell the items that are essential. This is to encourage all of us to stay at home and shop local and to ensure fairness to those non-essential retailers who have had to close.

I and my colleague Minister of State English met with the Retail Forum members on 21 October to remind those in the retail sector, of the need for strict adherence to the public health guidelines during Level 5. Minister English met again with the Retail Forum and major multiple grocery retailers on 28 October to reinforce this message and will convene a further meeting on 4 November.

I would like to thank retailers and their customers for their efforts at this difficult time. By each of us following the spirit of these new rules and working together we can hopefully return to a lower level of the Living with Covid-19 framework.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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190. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment the position regarding a trade (details supplied) and the current restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32796/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19 is a cross-government approach to managing and living with the pandemic over the next 6 – 9 months.

This action was based on current public health advice, the deteriorating situation with the disease across the country and the Government’s objectives to support families by keeping schools and childcare facilities open, maintaining non-Covid health services and protecting the vulnerable. Level 5 restrictions will remain in place for a period of 6 weeks. Essential retail and essential services will remain open.

Guidance published by the Department of the Taoiseach on what comprises Essential Services is available here:

Businesses should carefully review the essential services list above and determine whether they can operate or not under the current restrictions. It is not necessary for businesses to seek official authorisation.

Physical attendance at workplaces is only permitted for those providing essential services where such services can only be provided in person and cannot be delivered remotely.

Essential purposes for travel (permitted outside 5k limit) includes travel to and from work, where work involves providing an essential service.

Details of the wide range of COVID-19 schemes and measures for businesses are available on my Department’s website at .