Up until teatime yesterday publicans were hoping they could salvage some holiday trade and re-open their bars. Their hopes were collectively dashed after the Taoiseach emerged from a Cabinet meeting, telling them “Not Yet”. What faces all business in the coming months is uncertainty as the Coronavirus stalks the land.
In the past few weeks some clusters of the COVID-19 virus have been discovered in factory and warehouse settings. The disruption and cost that has been imposed on these companies is significant. Some of these companies may not have the resources to survive an incident like this, particularly if they have been impacted already with extra cost. The threat of a company having to close part or all of its operation for a time is very real.
It is difficult to plan for this but prudent transport operators should be at the very least thinking about it. As this crisis continues, people will lose patience with politicians and with each other. There will likely be some more public anger as people see their life’s work disappear in front of them. For the most part hauliers have not been effected across the board in the way bus operators have but truck operators are not totally immune. Nobody knows where this will end up. Will the health crisis trump the business crisis? Politicians need to be aware of the national mood, it is changing. It is a fair observation to say that there is more enthusiasm from barmen to return to work that there is from teachers. Agreed they are not exactly the same. There is one fundamental difference, pay and job security. This could be the foundation for the next public debate. Let’s hope it does not come to this and we can all get back to normal as soon as possible.
