Ahead of this evening's announcement on the further reopening of society, Chambers Ireland has called on the Government to publish clear reopening timelines for businesses.
The organisation said this is needed in order to give businesses the best opportunity to succeed over the coming months.
It has also called for business supports to be extended until the end of the year.
"We have seen how valuable the supports provided by Government have been to date," said Ian Talbot, chief executive of Chambers Ireland.
"Given that Covid-19 is still with us, and the consequences of the pandemic continue to be felt across the economy, it is critically important that Government continues to play a strong and active role in supporting the recovery," he said.
Deep uncertainty remains
Chambers Ireland said while the public health situation appears to be improving, there remains deep uncertainty among the business community as to what lies ahead.
"A return to normal, if achievable, will not happen overnight," said Mr Talbot.
"As a result, we cannot rely on consumer spending alone to restore revenues and provide business certainty," he said.
Chambers Ireland said the Government needs to provide a "stable foundation" upon which businesses can trade.
"We recognise the recent remarks of Minister for Finance Pascal Donohoe who said there would be no dramatic changes in the third quarter of this year.
"We request that this is extended until the end of the year at a minimum and is confirmed as soon as possible," Mr Talbot said.
He said debt warehousing and the commercial rates waiver are two key schemes which will continue to be needed for impacted businesses.
"If a supplementary budget is required to provide these guarantees, we urge Government to make the necessary provisions with urgency," he added.
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Towns and cities
While the summer has the potential to bring increased levels of trade, Mr Talbot said there is a heightened risk of uncertainty in tourism and hospitality.
"With a reduced operating model, these sectors will continue to require the security provided by the Wage Subsidy Scheme until the end of the year at the earliest," he said.
Mr Talbot also said he believes their reduced VAT rate should be extended until the end of 2023, to allow time for activity in these sectors to return to past levels.
The organisation has also called for a replacement to the "Stay and Spend" scheme.
"This must be simplified and provided in the form of a voucher to all adults that can be spent on tourism and hospitality for a defined period of time," Mr Talbot said.
With much activity set to take place outdoors this summer, Chambers Ireland said the necessary structural changes need to be put in place in towns and cities across the country.
"Outdoor dining must be facilitated, necessary facilities like public toilets and waste management provided, and public realm grants be sufficient and accessible," he said.
Long-term plans
Chambers Ireland has also called for long-term plans to be published for the tourism and hospitality sectors to ensure their survival.
It said staff and skills shortages have been a concern for both industries for several years and these issues have been greatly exacerbated by the pandemic.
"The Irish economy benefits significantly from our tourism and hospitality sectors but there is a growing risk that they will not be able to provide the necessary service levels to adequately meet demand.
"Government must develop a comprehensive strategy that addresses the twin issues of staffing and skills with urgency," Mr Talbot said.
