The re-opening of retail after the restrictions of the lockdown is being hampered by the inability of businesses to attract back experienced staff, leading to a call for the tapering of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment down to the level of unemployment benefit.
Kenny Deery, CEO of Galway Chamber which represents the retail and business sector in the city have said that while the move will not be popular politically, the time has come to taper off the PUP payment to the level of standard unemployment benefit, and transition those funds into a scheme to support employers in their recruitment and sustainment efforts.
Challenges
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Speaking to the Advertiser, Mr Deery said that businesses are now reopening and there is a challenge in rebuilding staff numbers.
“Some staff who were highly trained, have emigrated or returned to their country of origin. Some have retrained and progressed to other sectors, some have moved to self-employment with support from arms of the State, and as of last month, over 400,000 have remained on the PUP.
He said that a tapering might result in a greater ability to recruit, but this was not possible, that the Government help businesses co-fund the retention of these employees through the quieter times, so there is still productivity and output, as opposed to sustaining a dependency culture.
"We cannot continue to leave the present scenario unaddressed, where the State, through well-intended efforts initially, is now displacing the ability of industry to recruit.
From car centric to people centric
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Mr Deery also said that there is an onus on Galway Chamber in conjucntion with the local authorities and other stakeholders to look at ways at making retail areas more accessible.
"There is a responsibility for us in the Chamber, along with the local authorities and other stakeholders, to build campaigns that will be helpful for high street retailers and draw more consumers in our city and county towns. That won’t be easy. We need in the short term to transition our urban centres, from being car centric to people centric," he said.
