Taoiseach Micheál Martin has announced the removal of many Covid restrictions, but there is no clarity surrounding any new workplace protocols.

From Saturday January 22, the following restrictions will be removed:

• early closing time for hospitality and events

• capacity restrictions for outdoor events, including sporting fixtures

• capacity restrictions for indoor events, including weddings

In Association with

• restrictions on nightclubs

• requirements to have a valid digital Covid certificate to enter various premises.

Staying in place until February 28 are regulations mandating the compulsory wearing of masks on public transport, in shops, in schools and in early learning and care facilities.

In addition, face masks must still be worn in taxis; at train stations, airports and ports; in shopping centres, libraries, cinemas, theatres, museums, post offices, and banks; in all public offices; and at premises providing specified services and businesses such as salons, hairdressers, travel agents, laundries, dry cleaners and bookmakers.

Staff in customer facing roles in premises where food and beverages are sold for consumption on the premises must continue to wear masks too.

It is not clear from the government statement whether there is an expiry date envisaged for these mask-wearing strictures.

International Travel

For international travel, there is no change to the current measures in place, including the requirement for a Digital Covid Cert.

From February 1, a Covid cert based on primary vaccination only will expire after nine months. An updated DCC can be obtained for those who have received a booster dose. Anyone who has not received an updated DCC can request one through a self-service portal.

Workplaces

The Taoiseach (pictured) also announced that from Monday January 24 “a return to physical attendance in workplaces can commence on a phased basis appropriate to each sector”.

The government statement also speaks of “sectoral protective measures being removed include formal requirements for two metres physical distancing in general”.

An updated Work Safely Protocol was issued by the government on January 14. This 69-page document largely reinforced Protocol rules that have been in place since 2020. “The current recommended distance to be maintained between people to minimise risk of transmission is two metres,” the Protocol states.

Employers will be seeking urgent guidance from the Department of Enterprise next week as to when a revised Protocol will be published.

CIPD Ireland director Mary Connaughton stated: “It’s important to remember that just as each new restriction that came in took time to accept, the removal of those rules can spark some concerns in the workforce. Businesses have the opportunity to make a lot of their own decisions about this,  and it’s important to design a reopening that works for the business and workforce.

“Employers don’t have to change existing practices if they’re working well. CSO figures released last week backed up CIPD Ireland research about how a majority of people would like to work remotely to some extent after the pandemic. It’s not over yet, but the coming weeks will be the best chance we’ve had to see what that landscape could look like - and it’s in the company’s hands to design that future.”

Advice on managing a return to the workplace, including around employees who are reluctant to return to the office. will be discussed at a CIPD/ByrneWallace seminar on January 26.

Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme

Finance minister Paschal Donohoe noted that enhanced rates of subsidy under the EWSS were due to expire at the end of January.

He announced that businesses availing of EWSS that were directly impacted by the public health regulations introduced in December (such as pubs, hotels and restaurants) will continue to receive the enhanced rates of subsidy for the month of February.

“The graduated step-down in subsidy rates will be delayed by one month, with such firms continuing to receive support under the scheme until 31 May 2022,” the minister added.

“From February 1, most businesses, apart from those that were directly impacted by the public health restrictions of last December, will move to the reduced rate of support of €203 per employee, followed by the flat rate subsidy of €100 per employee for the final two months the scheme of March and April 2022.

“It should be noted that the full rate of Employers’ PRSI will be reinstated with effect from March 1 for all businesses."

Tax Debt Warehousing Scheme

In relation to the Tax Debt Warehousing Scheme, and the decision by government last month to extend the period where tax liabilities arising can be warehoused to the end of Q1 2022, for all taxpayers eligible for Covid-19 support schemes, Donohoe said that this date will be extended to 30 April 2022 to facilitate the two monthly VAT return for March/April.

Covid Restrictions Support Scheme

The minister also detailed a number of ‘clarifications’ in relation to the CRSS as follows:

• as provided for under the scheme, an extra week will be paid to businesses the week after the restrictions are lifted as an additional support to businesses as they reopen fully.

• for newer businesses established during the period 13 October 2020 to 26 July 2021, the turnover from the date of commencement up to 1 August 2021 will be used for the purpose of calculating average weekly turnover

• certain charities and sporting bodies that operate a hospitality/indoor entertainment business activity from their business premises, who meet the revised qualifying criteria of the scheme, are eligible to apply for the CRSS for the most recent period of restrictions (20 December 2021 to January 2022).

Donohoe noted that CRSS has provided €717m in direct payments in respect of over 25,000 business premises since its introduction, and €13.4m in payments to businesses directly impacted by the latest public health restrictions in place since 20 December 2021.

"The facility to avail of the Tax Debt Warehousing Scheme has also offered valuable and practical liquidity support to businesses in difficult trading periods during the pandemic,” Donohoe stated.

“This further extension will allow businesses who have been most impacted some additional time to recover before their tax liabilities have to be paid. Their period of zero interest will continue until 30 April 2023, with interest at the reduced rate of 3% p.a. payable thereafter until the debt is paid down."

Pix: RollingNews.ie

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