Christmas shoppers may get longer in stores under plans to extend opening hours when restrictions lift next month.
Junior Enterprise Minister Damien English said the Government will provide businesses with a plan for reopening by next week.
This would include the likes of popular retailers Penneys and Smyths, which would be back just in time for the festive seaosn.
Mr English was asked yesterday if retailers would be allowed to reopen on when lockdown is due to end at the beginning of December.
The minister told RTE Radio 1’s News at One on Wednesday: “That is our full intention and that’s what we’ve been working for all these weeks.
“The Government are planning across all our departments, including local authorities who are managing the public space.
“We fully appreciate that there will be pent up demand. So we are on track to do that for December.”
On Wednesday, many in the business community urged the Government to let them trade on Black Friday, and throughout the rest of this month.
Mr English said: “We’ve always said when the figures allow it and it’s appropriate, we would reopen.
“That is for the first week of December, that’s what we’re aiming for, but in a safe manner.”
Retailers will only be allowed to reopen with the appropriate public health measures in place.
Mr English said: “What the big ask of Ibec is controlled reopening – and that’s exactly what they’re going to get.
“We know many businesses need at least three or four days or maybe a week of a lead-in time.
“The intention is Cabinet is in a position to make those decisions next week and make announcements when it’s appropriate.”
But the minister warned while businesses may reopen next month, shopping will not be the same experience pre-Covid.
He said: “We’ll have to manage all our public spaces because we know the virus spreads through crowds, spreads through retail and all settings where people are moving around.”
