The junior minister with responsibility for the retail sector Damien English has been criticised for insisting that children’s clothes are not essential items under the criteria set down by the Government. This practice has now ceased as retailers have been encouraged to adhere more closely to the definition of “essential items,” resulting in sections of supermarkets displaying toys, clothes and homeware being cordoned off. “If children’s clothes were not considered essential then the Government would remove the 0 per cent VAT rate,” pointed out Mary Clary. Under those rules shops that can remain open include supermarkets, pharmacies, health and hardware stores, shops selling PPE, fuel providers, shops selling things deemed essential for the welfare of animals and shops selling products necessary for the “essential upkeep and functioning of places of residence and businesses”. “We are prioritising the sale of essential items in our stores, however if a customer wishes to purchase additional products from another area of the store, they are able to do so.”

Source: The Irish Times October 30, 2020 11:21 UTC