RGDATA has contacted all the key Government Ministers to urge them to pass the RGDATA drafted Occupiers Liability Amendment Act to rebalance the Duty of Care to make it fairer, balanced and more reasonable. “It is clear to RGDATA and the many others who are campaigning for insurance reform that we need to address the onerous Duty of Care currently imposed on occupiers and to ensure that claimants must prove that there was negligence on the part of the occupier when making a claim. RGDATA has drafted a Bill that will address this issue so we are calling on the Government to stand by their election promises to deal with the insurance issue and to pass this Bill into law as a matter of urgency.

National Broadband Ireland (NBI) chief executive Peter Hendrick has issued an update to key stakeholders including RGDATA providing a progress update on the National Broadband Plan roll-out across the 26 counties. The fibre build starts in Cork in August and the NBI will be hosting webinars in August to engage with key stakeholders. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any issues you want RGDATA to raise about broadband in your area. Click here to read the NBI letter.

RGDATA has made a submission to the Oireachtas Covid 19 Committee which is currently looking at what needs to be done to ensure economic recovery post Covid-19.  Click here to read the RGDATA submission.

The call for a national Town Centre taskforce led by regeneration experts co-ordinated by the Department of An Taoiseach is being supported by many organisations and experts in evidence based town planning. The Irish Examiner highlighted the letter signed by RGDATA Director General Tara Buckley and many others including The Heritage Council and Chambers Ireland. Click here to read the story.

RGDATA Director General Tara Buckley featured in the Business Post calling for specific measures to put local shops and SMEs at the heart of Ireland’s post Covid recovery. Click here to read the interiew.

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The reopening of retail stores is highlighted in the Government’s latest Covid-19 messaging with Shop Local and Shop Safely a key message. Click here to see the latest guidance.

An amendment to Section 12 of the Redundancy Payments legislation, one of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest COVID-19 Act 2020 has been extended to 10 August.  This means that for the duration of the designated ‘emergency period’ employees on lay-off or short-time will not be in a position to claim a redundancy payment if the lay-off or short-time is due to the effects or measures required to be taken by the employer to comply with, or as a consequence of, the Government policy to reduce the spread of infection of COVID-19. 

On Friday 29 May, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty, confirmed that the Cabinet had decided to extend the suspension of redundancy provisions relating to temporary lay-off and short-time work which arose as a result of COVID-19 until 10 August.  Click here for more information

Supports of up to €5,000 are available to help SMEs get online

Under the Scheme, small businesses can claim up to €5,000 in two vouchers worth €2,500 each. The Scheme also facilitates subscriptions to low-cost online retailing platform solutions to quickly establish a retailing presence online. Click here for more information.

TDs Emer Higgins and Mattie McGrath have asked Dail Questions about the Public Health Alcohol Bill 2018 requirement for mixed trading shops to introduce segregation of alcohol products by 12 November.  Click here to read more.

The new RGDATA APP is now available to all our members – all the news and information you need at your fingertip including Covid-19 updates; RGDATA campaigning; HR advice, latest convenience retail innovation, research data and member survey results.