The Chief Executive of Retail Excellence Ireland has called for increased government support for the sector, as up to 1,800 shops look to reopen next Monday.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, David Fitzsimons said that only 70% of staff are expected to return to work in the coming months, with his organisation predicting job losses for over 100,000 workers.
He said that those stores reopening next week are "excited and nervous" about doing so. He said Phase Two of the Government’s road map - which begins on 8 June - will be the real test for the sector, as around 18,000 smaller stores would reopen.
He said that they expect pent-up demand to be good initially, but have concerns that consumer spending will then drop by up to 40% as seen in