General Industry News

Irish economy grows 1.2% in first quarter as exports offset Covid-19 impact

The Irish Times – 05.06.2020

The Irish economy expanded by 1.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2020 as exports of IT and pharma offset the domestic impact of Covid-19, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO). They show GDP, the standard measure of growth, rose by 1.2 per cent on the previous quarter and was up by 4.6 per cent on an annual basis, while Gross National Product (GNP), which strips out the multinational profit flows, rose by 0.1 per cent in the quarter and by 5.5 per cent year on year. In the globalised sectors of the economy, growth continued, the CSO said, with industry increasing by 15.4 per cent in volume terms and the IT sector growing by 1.5 per cent in the quarter. However, the impact of Covid-19 restrictions could be seen in the domestic-facing sectors, with the distribution, transport, hotels and restaurant sector contracting by 12.7 per cent

Guidelines for reopening hospitality sector published amid call to reduce 2m social distancing rule

Breaking News – 09.06.2020

Fáilte Ireland has published guidelines for the tourism and hospitality industry to ensure businesses can reopen safely on June 29. The guidelines were developed in collaboration with industry groups, with the Government also being consulted. Fáilte Ireland says the guidelines are in line with the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business and the Return to Work Safely Protocol. They said the guidelines “provide detailed advice on the necessary systems to be implemented in order to instil public confidence and reboot business while adhering to public health advice and Government protocols. They are the first in a suite of new supports being rolled out by Fáilte Ireland to “help tourism businesses to recover and re-open safely and they will be “regularly updated in line with Government public health advice as and when this advice evolves.”