A multibillion-euro stimulus fund to bolster the economy from the fallout of both Covid-19 and Brexit is to be one of the key planks of the Government’s budget on Tuesday. The Construction Industry Federation is calling on the Government to classify construction workers as “essential”, so sites don’t have to close if Level 4 restrictions are introduced. A letter sent by the group to the Taoiseach and Tánaiste last week cites evidence of low numbers of cases on construction sites in support of its cause, writes Cliff Taylor. One in three publicans in Ireland see permanent closure as a possibility for their business, according to new research from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland. With budget day now on our doorstep, you can keep up to date with all our latest coverage on irishtimes.com/budget.

Source: The Irish Times October 12, 2020 05:15 UTC