Decisions and communications on public health guidelines

Dear member,

I am increasingly concerned about the absence of structured processes for decision making and communications from Government on Covid related policies. It has been a full 2 months since the formation of the new Government and despite explicit commitment, there remains no clarity or coherence on how as a society we will live and work with Covid.  

With little or no notice, more than once, business and households have turned on a sixpence since March.  Business has had to rethink strategy, multiple times and will rethink it again, multiple times. We all appreciate the value of sharing the ‘how’ and the ‘what’, even if the ‘when’ is undetermined. This is the principle on which business can continue to operate and the commitment we give to those we serve. 

But we need the steady hand of a strong political leadership which communicates on matters of public health with the clarity of a diamond. We also need empathetic political leadership which appreciates the lead times business requires to react to disruption. This is the tenet of my letter to An Taoiseach, Michael Martin TD which I sent yesterday and with whom I will meet tomorrow afternoon.  

While acknowledging recent political distractions, business now requires focus from Government. Simply put, we now need a national continuity plan with much greater clarity on how public health guidelines are to be decided and communicated.  

These times require cohesiveness and strong partnerships between all stakeholders so that we can turn and turn again, while minimising disruption and aspiring to build back better for the benefit of all. 

You can view my letter to An Taoiseach below and I will be back in touch with an update on related developments. 

Best wishes,

Danny McCoy 
CEO 
Ibec