RGDATA Director General sets out the plans and campaigns that RGDATA will be pursuing in 2019 in the latest edition of Forecourt & Convenience Retailer. Click here to read the interview.

RGDATA Director General Tara Buckley will attend a special workshop on Brexit preparedness today. Minister Humphreys has confirmed that officials from Revenue, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and a Representative from Dublin Port will attend.

Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan has asked the Chief Justice to create simple rules to force through rapid reductions in awards for soft-tissue injuries. Click here to read the press release from the Alliance for Insurance Reform of which RGDATA is a member.

Complete the RGDATA crime survey now and tell us if your businesses was impacted by juvenile crime that was not followed up by the Gardai. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has apologised for Garda failure to prosecute thousands of juvenile crimes. RGDATA intends to follow up on this issue with Commissioner Harris.

Click here to read the media reports. Click here to do the five minute survey.

The Low Pay Commission is preparing it's report on the National Minimum Wage 2020. RGDATA is making a submission and we are inviting members to comment by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Click here if you wish to make your own submission.

Click here for our short survey

RGDATA Director General Tara Buckley told Minister Heather Humphreys that managing cost for independent retailers was key in the run up to Brexit. “Whether there is a deal or no deal, it is vital that Government focus on influencing business competitiveness. We are still awaiting practical Government action to reduce insurance premiums. Also there is absolutely no need for increasing the cost of employing staff in the grocery trade,” Buckley told the Minister at the latest Brexit Forum meeting.

Ahead of the two biggest shopping weekends of the year, IFA President Joe Healy has warned retailers against discounting fresh produce in the run-up to Christmas.  Click here for the press release.

Negotiations regarding the draft EU Business to Business UTP Directive in the Food Supply Chain will resume tomorrow (Wednesday 19 December) as the Commission and the MEPs continue to wrangle over the scope of the Directive.

Originally, the Directive was to apply to protect companies with a maximum €50 million turnover. Parliament wanted to apply it to companies with a turnover up to €1.25 billion.  Tomorrow’s negotiations are expected to focus on bringing that figure to companies with a turnover of up to €250 - €300 million or less.

There are three statutory Public Holidays during the Christmas period.

Christmas Day, Tueday 25 December, 2018
St. Stephens Day, Wednesday 26 December, 2018
New Year's Day, Tuesday 1 January, 2019

Entitlement to benefit from these public holidays is governed by the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997.  All full-time employees are automatically entitled to the public holiday benefits and all part time employees, who have worked at least 40 hours in the five weeks ending on the day before the public holiday are also entitled to benefit for the public holiday.  Click here for more information.