Dublin Chamber has welcomed the publication by Government of a "Roadmap for the Re-opening of Society and Business".

The Chamber, which represents businesses throughout the Greater Dublin Region, said the timeline will allow for a step-change in how firms are planning for a return to full trading.

The timeline provides grounds for cautious optimism regarding a slow return to business as usual, the Chamber said. However, the organisation cautioned that it is incumbent on all stakeholders in society, including citizens and businesses, to continue to adhere to the guidelines that are in place.

According to Dublin Chamber CEO Mary Rose Burke: "Over the past six weeks, the business community has faced one of the most challenging periods in modern history. The business community, and with it the wider Irish economy, will recover in time. However, the announcement of a timeline for re-opening does not signal that the crisis is over. The business community remains committed to playing in its part in the continued fight against the spread of Covid-19. Central to any re-opening will be the continued deployment of, and adherence to, social distancing and hygiene practices such as hand-washing.".

We all want to get back to some kind of normal as soon as possible. But the gravity of the Covid-19 pandemic requires that everyone continues to play their part to ensure there is no unnecessary back-stepping required in the national response. As the representative body for businesses in the Dublin region, we will continue to engage proactively with both our member companies and with the relevant Government departments to ensure that the needs of the business community are understood and to allow firms to play their part in the recovery from Covid-19," said Ms Burke.