Could hairdressers, beauty salons and barbers be back in business sooner than originally planned?
Recommendations will be made to government
Hundreds of barbers, hair salons and beauty salons in the North West could be back in business earlier than expected.
The Irish Hairdressers' Federation (IHF) is set to present the Government with a range of recommendations which it feels merit reopening phase two of the easing of restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As things stand, hair and beauty salons and barbers are not scheduled to reopen until July 20.
But the IHF believes it can put in place sufficient measures to enable premises to reopen earlier and that these will protect both staff and customers.
A lengthy document with 110 recommendations has been prepared.
Speaking on Morning Ireland, the incoming President of the Irish Hairdressers Federation, Danielle Kennedy, said the IHF is recommending that salons only allow customers in by appointment and carry out pre-screening to see if clients have been abroad or ill recently.
And she added: ''The recommendations will radically change how we do our business, which will see the extensive use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitisation procedures.”
Hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons are dotted all over Offaly and employ hundreds of people.
While the IHF membership is largely Leinster based, those in the industry will be supportive of its moves.