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The body which represents a significant number of livestock marts wants the 2m social distancing rule to be reviewed with a view to lowering it to 1m.
Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) marts executive Ray Doyle said marts should be allowed to operate with a reduced distance similar to the hospitality sector. He called on Minister for Agriculture Barry Cowen to investigate the possibility.
90-minute breaks
“Many marts could easily operate on a series of breaks every 90 minutes and reconvene sales, thereby protecting employees and visitors,” Doyle said.
"We currently have an unsustainable situation where you can sit at a one metre distance in mart canteens, which are operated by independent contractors, but then have to sit two metres apart ringside."
Doyle also called on the Minister to introduce a grant aid package for marts
Marts were already recording names and times of entry into marts to ensure prompt contact tracing as part of operating procedures agreed with the Department, he pointed out.
Doyle also called on the Minister to introduce a grant aid package for marts which have reopened following forced closures.
“Livestock marts were one of the only agri-related businesses to have their businesses closed by Government during the COVID-19 restrictions during the busiest time of the year for all marts.
Loss of income
“This resulted in a major loss of income that will probably not be replaced during 2019. We now need the Government to support the marts with a new dedicated stimulus package, focused on mart operations,” he said.
The stimulus package would be used to assist marts in investing in infrastructure that would be needed in the event of other lockdowns.
“COVID-19 will be with us for many months, possibly years, and it is anticipated that we will see enforced regional lockdowns as the virus peaks in different parts of the country.
"We are calling on the Minister to ringfence funding for a stimulus package that will allow marts to maintain an online system to facilitate continued trading in any future lockdown,” said Doyle.
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