Essential vs. non-essential: Tanáiste Leo Varadkar has stated that retailers selling mixed goods must separate stock and only sell essential items in order to allow them to stay open.
Confirming that Gardaí have been contacted about the issue, Varadkar told RTÉ that they will be monitoring the situation and ensuring that guidelines are being adhered to.
"What we're saying to retailers - Minister English and I met with the retailers during the week - what we're saying to them is that you need to abide by the regulations and you also need to abide by the spirit of the regulations.
"So if you're a mixed retailer, and there are a lot of mixed retailers out there, you should separate your stock and only sell the items that are essential.
"So for example, if you're a supermarket or a big store that has groceries and clothes, you should separate off the clothes and not sell them. Workwear is ok, but general clothing not and we've been in touch with the Gardaí and that will be enforced."
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Later asked whether shops can be closed or penalised for opening and selling PPE even if that isn't their main business, Varadkar responded by saying:
"If they're selling PPE that's one thing, but if they're trying to use PPE in order to sell other products that's a very different thing... If you're selling essential products that's one thing, if you're trying to use essential products as a means of opening your store to sell non-essential products - that's not ok, that's not lawful and we will bring in enforcement action."
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Adding that it's unfair to other small businesses who have had to close, Varadker confirmed that Gardaí will be enforcing the legislation and penalising retailers who are found to be in breach of it.
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