Written answers

Wednesday, 31 March 2021

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Covid-19 Pandemic

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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175. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on whether the click and collect service is having a disproportionately negative effect on smaller family run retailers; if he will consider reversing the ban on non-essential retailers operating a click and collect or call and collect service in order to help these businesses survive the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16459/21]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I understand this is an incredibly difficult time for families and businesses across the country and I would like to thank them for their efforts at this difficult time. By each of us following the spirit of the rules and working together we can hopefully ease some restrictions soon.

S.I. No. 701 of 2020 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 10) Regulations 2020 and S.I. No. 4 of 2021 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 10) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 () clearly sets out the temporary restrictions under Level 5. A list of essential services can be found at and the list of essential retail outlets at Level 5 can be found at

Under Level 5, only essential retail outlets will remain open and all measures in Level 5 will stay in place until at least April 5 2021. Further information can be found on

COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 - The Path Aheadwhich can be found on , sets out the approach to the next phase, which is subject to ongoing review and taking into account the evolving epidemiological situation. All decisions taken by Government on the timing of any lifting of restrictions are informed by the public health advice at the time.

Level 5 does not restrict people from purchasing any product, it does however restrict people from physically going into non-essential stores, including clothes stores. This is to stop people making unnecessary journeys, congregating and browsing for non-essential goods, to limit the spread of the virus.

Under the current temporary restrictions while click and collect of non-essential retail items is no longer permitted, click or phone and delivery can continue.

Retailers can and have made arrangements, on compassionate grounds, for individual customers to urgently purchase a non-essential item in store. This is only in exceptional circumstances where it is not possible to plan ahead and avail of remote ordering services such as in emergencies, e.g., admission to hospital.

We are asking retailers to fully get behind the spirit of the regulations. In particular, we are asking retailers with mixed retail offering which have discrete spaces for essential and non-essential retail to make arrangements for the separation of relevant areas.

An Garda Síochána are engaging with retailers and enforcing the regulations where necessary.

We are asking retailers to operate staggered opening and closing hours, as well as facilitating starting and finishing hours, in order to minimise the impact on public transport and to continue to provide dedicated hours for vulnerable customers.

We are also asking retailers to exercise their best judgement and common sense on a case by case basis, to ensure those requiring urgent access to a non-essential item are accommodated.

My colleague Minister English has met regularly with Retail Forum members and representatives from the retail, grocery and distribution sector to continuously assess adherence to the public health restrictions.

The Government has introduced a wide range of supports to help businesses impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and they can be found on my Department’s website .

It is important to monitor gov.ie for the latest information, public health advice and guidelines from Government in relation to COVID-19.

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