Irish salon industry included in Government closure list during COVID-19 crisis

The Irish Government last Tuesday announced further restrictions to try and contain the outbreak of COVID-19.

The measures mean the mandatory closure of all non-essential retailers, with hair and beauty salons included in this list. The Government has put these measures in place until the outbreak is under control.

The Government also announced a €4bn package to support businesses, with a Wage Subsidy Scheme being introduced to encourage employers and companies badly affected by the emergency to keep staff on the payroll. This will see 70pc of the cost of salaries co-funded up to a maximum of €38,000 per year. Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys has urged employers to avail of the scheme to retain employees and to re-employ employees in cases where they have recently been laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s important to bear in mind that if you have recently laid off workers, you can still avail of the scheme by re-employing them, which will allow you to plan ahead with more surety,” she said.

The package, which is confined to employees who were on the employer’s payroll as at 29 February 2020, is available to employers who keep employees on the payroll through the current COVID-related trading difficulties, meaning employers can retain links with employees for when business picks up after the crisis. “The employer-employee relationship is vital for business success and the purpose of the scheme is to maintain this relationship. It will also ensure that when we get through the worst of the pandemic, businesses will be best placed to return to normality and kickstart the economy once again,” added Humphreys.

HABIC (Hair and Beauty Industry Confederation) welcomed the Government’s decision to include salons in the list of ‘non-essential’ businesses. “In the interest of public health and safety, and to help curb the spread of COVID-19 via community transfer, HABIC welcomes this announcement,” it said. “This was an essential and vital step in protecting our society.”

Meanwhile, the Government introduced further restrictions on Friday night to try curb the spread of COVID-19. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said people would be allowed to leave their home only for essential work, to buy food, attend medical appointments, vital family reasons or to take exercise within 2km of their home. These restrictions will remain in force for the next two weeks until Easter Sunday, when they will be reviewed.