Ireland's Retail Minister has issued a two-word promising update to punters as longer opening hours are being rumoured over the Christmas period.
Minister of State for Employment Affairs and Retail Businesses Damien English confirmed that it was the Government's "full intention" to open retailers on December 1.
And reports now suggest that shops will be allowed to open as late as they want in the build-up to the festive period.
It has emerged that the Government is considering plans which will allow trading after normal opening and closing hours with the Minister working with local authorities to get such a plan over the line.
From talks with retailers, Minister English understands that although they want longer hours, they do not want a 24-hour opening system.
Speaking on RTE news yesterday, he said that the country was "moving in the right direction".
He said: "So decisions now will be made by all our Government departments - how we can reopen safely.
"We are putting plans in place to reopen safely, to facilitate that important month of December. That is our full intention."
He added: "That's what we've been working to all these weeks."
"We've always said that whenever the figures allow it and when it's appropriate, we would reopen.
"But as it stands, that is for the first week of December. That's what we're aiming for."
"It'll mean longer opening hours. It'll mean different ways of doing business."
