Government officials are looking at schemes in Denmark and Portugal and are weighing proposals from employers and trade unions for a new package of measures. “Ireland is a rich country and we can afford to do this,” Mr O’Brien said. “We have already taken a number of measures including a €3bn package and we will also study provisions made in other jurisdictions,” the spokesman said. Mandate represents 35,000 retail staff and about half of those workers have been laid off, he said. Meanwhile, the US was inching closer last night to agreeing a huge bailout programme for its economy.

Source: Irish Examiner March 23, 2020 02:48 UTC