Sensible and positive progress on reopening

The latest CEO Update newsletter to Ibec members from Danny McCoy

This day last week, you will recall that I wrote to An Taoiseach with what can be described as a strident letter seeking the bringing forward of the roadmap and the reopening of the majority of businesses by end June.  We have lobbied hard this week to seek action on this letter, driving balance across health and economic issues to the heart of Government policy making. The campaigning of our trade associations, hospitality members and in particular Retail Ireland, has been powerful in these circumstances bringing about the reopening of all shops from next Monday. 

Today’s announcement by An Taoiseach of an acceleration on the phasing is a positive and sensible response. It is a strong endorsement of our collective effort and as we go back to business, leaders must prioritise the safety of our workforce, customers and suppliers.  The Return to Work Safely Protocol must underpin how we now live and work with Covid, we must remain vigilant.   At Ibec we will continue to lead for you, our members, with the Ibec Reboot & Reimagine campaign and focus on the need to heal what is fundamentally a strong and dynamic business model. This will be my focus for the Oireachtas Covid Committee hearing next Tuesday as well as the need for a ubiquitous scheme of virus tracking and tracing. We continue to also press our priorities for economic recovery and business supports in the context of the pending Programme for Government and this will remain our key priority over the coming weeks. 

Best wishes,

Danny McCoy 
CEO 
Ibec