The chief executive of employers' group Ibec has told the Government that there is serious and urgent concern in the business community around the current phase of Covid related restrictions.
Danny McCoy also called on the Government to allow the retail, hospitality and travel sectors to reopen as a priority ahead of Christmas, with a sequential easing of restrictions beginning in the last week of November.
He said Ibec is seeking immediate prior and meaningful engagement with the firms most affected when the Government is making policy decisions and communicating them.
Mr McCoy outlined Ibec's position in a letter sent to the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and a number of senior ministers and officials.
He said the current measures impact upon a large swathe of businesses and claimed the blanket suppression of these sectors continues to lack any refinement, despite learnings and evidence accumulated since last March.
"This approach lacks empathy and is at this point in the crisis creating much greater economic and social damage than is necessary," he said.
Mr McCoy said opening businesses in a controlled manner would be a far safer option then keeping everything closed and seeing restrictions ignored by the public.
He also wrote that while the six weeks of Level 5 restrictions has brought about a substantial decline in Covid cases, greater enforcement is needed to reduce infection rates further.
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The Ibec boss described how the manner of communications in the media from members of the National Public Health Emergency Team continues to be a source of "uncertainty and irritation for businesses and the public in making necessary plans for the coming crucial period of Christmas".
"This pattern, now seemingly embedded, in limiting the choice for Government is one we understood you and colleagues were going to address," he said.
He added that it is "intolerable" that four weeks into the Level 5 restrictions, a promised review by Government is not setting out the easing of restrictions on the businesses "upon which the resources of the State ultimately depend".
"Our members take their role in suppressing the virus seriously and have demonstrated their commitment to, and investment in, doing so since we started addressing this crisis together in March," he said.
Mr McCoy called on the Government to engage with businesses prior to making decisions and to create communication channels early with them.
Ibec also wants to have the retail, hospitality and travel sectors reopened as a priority ahead of Christmas, with a sequential easing of restrictions beginning in the last week of November, leading to a Level 3 opening by the start of December.
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This should give way to Level 2 by early December, Mr McCoy stated, a strategy that would ensure crowding in retail areas is avoided.
In relation to international travel, Mr McCoy said the Government must ensure it can proceed on the basis of the EU colour coding system and testing, including the use of Antigen tests alongside PCR.
The Government must also "ensure the importance of the Return to Office ambition is not lost in this phase".
"As the current restriction levels provide for no substantial return until well into 2021, it must be a priority to have these level restrictions modified in order to support business planning for the return of a much higher percentage of office workers early in 2021," Mr McCoy wrote.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr McCoy said Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan has a role to play as an adviser to government.
But he criticised members of the National Public Health Emergency Team for "kite-flying" in media interviews, saying this led to knee-jerk reactions that frustrates public and businesses.
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Retail Excellence calls for earlier reopening of non-essential retailers
Retail Excellence has added its voice to calls for a plan around the reopening of closed sectors of the economy and has criticised the Government for a lack of clarity on the issue.
Speaking on RTÉ's Six One News, Managing Director Duncan Graham warned that condensing the Christmas shopping period to just three weeks from early December will cause a shopping frenzy.
He said it would be better to open shops earlier and allow for extended opening hours and appointment shopping.
Waiting until December would also mean Irish retailers missing out on Black Friday, he said, which is potentially worth "one billion Euros" in sales.
Mr Graham added that retailers have been engaging with the Government since September, he said, but are getting very little response.
Retail Excellence has said that despite a fourfold increase in online shopping, non-essential retailers are reporting sales down 80% on last year.
