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As part of the nationwide Level 5 restrictions, only stores that sell essential items are allowed to open.
Per government guidelines, retailers that have “discrete spaces” for essential and non-essential items have been told to separate the areas.
Several companies, including some sports and shoe stores, have remained open because they sell PPE and face masks, but Varadkar said non-essential items should be closed to the public.
As part of our National Operation, An Garda Síochána is verifying compliance with the
Retail services below Level 5 are subject to Criminal Regulations, can and are being enforced
A Garda Síochána continues to use 4Es, Engage, Explain, Encourage and last Enforce pic.twitter.com/dErLC0do2m– Garda Information (@gardainfo) October 25, 2020
“It is necessary to comply with the regulations and respect the spirit of the regulations,” he told RTÉ.
“If you are a mixed retailer, you must separate your inventory and sell only the items that are essential. If you have a large store that has groceries and clothes, you have to separate the clothes. General work clothes are fine, but not other clothes.
“We have been in contact with the Garda about that. If they are using PPE to sell other products, then that is different.
“It’s also unfair, think of all the small stores and retailers that have to close, it’s unfair to them and it won’t be allowed.
“Having collaborated with the Department of Justice, I am confident that the law is strong enough.”
He warned that Gardaí will enforce the legislation.
Varadkar also said he is confident the stores will reopen in December.
“These are the first days, but it seems that the Level 3 restrictions are starting to take effect. We are seeing cases stabilize and the positivity rate falls, but we have yet to see the effect of the Level 5 restrictions.
The positivity rate in tests has dropped in the last 8 days. The number of close contacts has now been reduced to an average. of 3. Most close contacts are from home. Still very early but good. We’re all part of the solution. Let’s get on with this. @HSELive # COVID-19
– Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) October 25, 2020
“I’m sure we can get to Level 3 in December and that would mean the stores would open again, but we can’t be complacent.
“Often when you tell people that things are looking up, they relax, but this virus is spreading like wildfire.”
He also said that while the country could dip back into Level 5 early next year, it is not inevitable.
The Fine Gael leader said the government is “increasingly optimistic”, a vaccine will be approved in the coming months and it will be possible to start vaccination early next year.
“This is based on information that comes to us both from the (testing) companies and from the WHO (World Health Organization) statements,” he added.
It comes as the head of Health Service Executive (HSE), Paul Reid, said the positivity rate in tests for Covid-19 has decreased.
He tweeted: “The test positivity rate has dropped in the last eight days.
“The number of close contacts has now dropped to an average of three.
“Most of the close contacts are domestic. Still very early but good.
“We’re all part of the solution. Let’s get on with this. “
Sinn Féin justice spokesman Martin Kenny criticized how the government handled the legislation to enforce the new restrictions.
He said he rushed across the Oireachtas without proper scrutiny.
“The vast majority of people follow and work by the rules, there are a small number of people who are blatantly trying to break the rules, and of course you need to enforce the rules,” he told RTE’s The Week in Politics.
“We oppose this legislation because of the way it was introduced, the way it was rushed, the way that no amendments were made.
“We felt it was totally inappropriate, and it would also go against what the Garda says, that they are trying to encourage and help people and, in most cases, they can do it, and they have not asked for these fines to be brought in.
“The way the government has handled this has been most regrettable.”
Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue defended the government’s handling of the legislation.
Younger children can get COVID-19 and spread it to others, but this is less common than with older children and adults. But they are at higher risk for many other infections, so teaching them to wash their hands is very important. Visit https://t.co/FI7mGMJvAq for more information. pic.twitter.com/pNyJ5iSoQ3
– HSE Ireland (@HSELive) October 25, 2020
“The legislation was aimed, in cases where people were not doing their part, there would be powers to enforce that,” he said.
“The approach that is being taken is to communicate and ask everyone to work together.”
Solidarity: People Before Profits TD Brid Smith expressed concern about schools.
“We keep hearing that there is a very low level of infection in schools, but we have more than 800 vulnerable teachers who have to go to work,” he told the program.
“We started very low because we have a very high class size level and we have not been able to provide resources to the schools or allow them enough space or hire enough teachers.
“We find school secretaries who are also being ignored on the front line and not being evaluated.
“There are many problems related to his salary that have not been resolved.”
Ireland
Coronavirus: 1,025 new confirmed cases in the Repu …
Independent Minister Michael Fitzmaurice said poor broadband in rural areas is causing big problems at farmers markets, particularly after an app used for sales broke on Saturday.
“Yesterday it was chaos when the animals were standing in the stores and then the system broke down and the stores had to cancel the entire sale,” he said.
The Irish Farmers Association has asked the government to review the ban on buyers traveling to markets.
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