An RGDATA delegation led by President Colin Fee told Tanaiste Leo Varadkar that promised Government action on Insurance reforms must bring the cost of shop insurance down and address the issue of people making false, exaggerated or misleading claims for minor, fully recoverable injuries. The call came at a meeting between RGDATA, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar and Retail Minister Damien English. The Tanaiste said he was fully committed to bringing the cost of insurance down.

The Tanaiste noted the concerns raised by RGDATA directors who indicated that claims for minor injuries were increasing in some stores and many retailers were facing threats from anti-maskers regarding Covid 19 claims. This is adding to the frustration shop owners feel about the lack of any impact to date of Government measures on shop insurance costs and claims.

The Tanaiste said that Justice Minister Helen McEntee was addressing the Duty of Care issue and he noted that RGDATA had drafted an amendment to the Occupiers Liability Act to rebalance the duty of care and make it fairer, balanced and more reasonable. “Shop owners need insurance for catastrophic incidents and we will put our hands up if we are at fault, but we cannot continue to pay substantial premiums and fight our insurance companies who are settling questionable claims instead of challenging them. This issue is a key concerns for RGDATA members and we need action now that will bring down shop insurance costs,” Colin Fee urged the Tanaiste who chairs the Cabinet Sub Committee on Insurance.

RGDATA has called on the Department of Communications & Climate Action to ensure that proposed Deposit & Return scheme includes independent retailers at every stage of the scheme selection and design and that retailers are rewarded for taking part in delivering the scheme. RGDATA also calls for the use of Smart technology and existing infrastructure to ensure the scheme delivers the best value for money and measurable gains in terms of recycling. Click here to read the RGDATA submission.

Putting Town Centres First is a new podcast series exploring the antiquity of our towns in a time of COVID-19 and traising awareness and understanding of key issues now confronting our historic town centres.  Click here for more information and here for Tara's interview.

The number of Garda enforcement actions taken since the ramping up of Covid-19 restrictions in October has increased significantly according to the Policing Authority. Gardaí used Covid-19 enforcement powers 36 times in October compared to six times in September.
Gardaí took 57 enforcement actions against licensed premises in October as part of Operation Navigation. All licensed premises were closed under Level 5 restrictions except for takeaway services.
Since the end of June, gardaí have taken 8 enforcement actions against people for failing to wearing face coverings and five for breaching international travel restrictions.
There have been 11 incidents of alleged breaches of Level 5 regulations by retailers and 37 incidents relating to other breaches such as organising events.
The number of spitting or coughing attacks against gardaí also climbed in October, to 28 incidents, the first increase since May.

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar is seeking is submissions on Government plans for new laws to give employees the right to paid sick leave.  

Launching the consultation (Monday, November 16) the Tánaiste said:   "Ireland is one of only a small number of European countries in which there is no legal obligation on employers to provide for sick pay, in the way they do annual leave for example. This needs to change and I am committed to introducing a statutory sick pay scheme that works for employees and employers as quickly as possible."

RGDATA will make a submission and is seeking views from members on how the scheme should operate. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your views.

DETE Communications Unit is seeking SME case studies from companies who have reviewed their supply chain and changed their operations to protect them against the impacts of Brexit by taking one or all of the following steps:

- Sought alternative import/export routes to the United Kingdom, excluding Northern Ireland
- Undertaken the necessary customs training and/or carried out customs changes required
- Availed of Government supports, be that financial or advisory

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you wish to take part.

RGDATA president Colin Fee will lead an RGDATA delegation that will discuss all the key issues impacting on independent convenience and grocery retailers on an online conference meeting tomorrow.

Musgrave CEO Noel Keely is one of the key experts on the panel for this informative discussion about how retailers are adapting their stores to get a bigger share of our food consumption. You can watch the Shop Talk Live seminar here.

The experts have picked Moran's Centra in Derry as one of the top convenience retailers for food to. Click here to watch their video.

RGDATA Director General Tara Buckley attended a Retail Consultation Forum and Food & Logistics meeting on Brexit on Wednesday 4 November. Click here for the links to the most recent updates, checklists and supports from all the relevant Government Departments.

The national Health Protection Surveillance Centre has reviewed studies on the effectiveness of non medical face masks and visors in preventing the transmission of Covid-19 in public settings and issued a document that you can access here. The document highlights that the most effective non-surgical face coverings have layers of fabric and that visors should extend beyond the ears and below the chin and are most effective when worn with face masks.  The HPSC emphasises “Regardless of what face covering is used, it is important to continue public health measures of respiratory etiquette, social distancing and effective hand hygiene, particularly when handling a mask/visor after use.”

The HPSC quotes the World Health Organisation ‘Advice on the use of masks in the context of COVID-19’ (World Health Organization, 2020c) which recommends that visors should only be considered in the following contexts:

“In the context of non-medical mask shortage, face shields may be considered as an alternative noting that they are inferior to mask with respect to prevention of droplet transmission. If face shields are to be used, ensure proper design to cover the sides of the face and below the chin. In addition, they may be easier to wear for individuals with limited compliance with medical masks (such as those with mental health disorders, developmental disabilities, deaf and hard of hearing community and children).” (pg 11)

The Recommendations in the HPSC document are:
o In public settings, when considering the options of cloths face coverings compared with visors, expert opinion and international guidance generally favours cloth face coverings.
o There is a rationale and laboratory evidence in particular for favouring cloth face coverings over visors where the wearer is at a higher level (standing) than those potentially exposed at a lower level (sitting).
o However, there is evidence that visors do reduce exposure to droplets to a certain extent and may be an alternative in certain circumstance including
o People with breathing difficulties
o People who are unable to remove masks/face coverings without help
o Anyone with particular needs who may feel upset or very uncomfortable wearing the mask/face covering
o In settings where people who have learning difficulties or hard of hearing or deaf are present.
o Where cloth face coverings are used, it should be of multiple layers of suitable fabric and correctly applied. Further information on the handling and care of cloth face coverings can be found here.
o Where visors are used they should cover the entire face (above the eyes to below the chin and wrap around from ear to ear) and be correctly applied. Further information on the handling and care of visors can be found here.