Covid-19: Dates in pipeline for hairdresser and non-essential retail reopening
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It is hoped the executive will give dates for the lifting of Covid restrictions around hairdressers and non-essential retail at its next meeting, Arlene Foster has said.
The executive is due to meet again on 15 April.
Economy Minister Diane Dodds has put forward papers to ease restrictions further, the first minister added.
Earlier, a tourism body called for travel restrictions to be eased between NI and GB.
From 12 April, outdoor retailers such as garden centres, car washes and car garages can reopen, external.
Contactless click-and-collect for all non-essential retail can also take place from that date.
The NI Executive's pathway to recovery document states the next review of restrictions is due to take place on 15 April.
"My colleague, Diane Dodds, has put papers in in relation to the lifting of restrictions in terms of close-contact services, hairdressers, beauticians, for non-essential retail, and I do hope that we will be able to give dates in relation to those issues when we next go to the executive to look at those issues," Mrs Foster said on Tuesday.
"I think what you will see coming out of the next executive [meeting] are some timelines."
Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance (NITA) said the sector was facing a setback of up to 15 years.
It represents tourism operators, visitor attractions and tour guides.
Under guidelines, people should not travel in or out of Northern Ireland for non-essential reasons.
The NI Executive's pathway to recovery document includes preparing for the full return of leisure travel under Step 5 of the plan for easing restrictions.
Joanne Stuart, Chief Executive of NITA, said businesses have been left with little hope for the future due to a lack of reopening dates from the executive.
"Anybody coming from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and who is staying for more than 24 hours has to self-isolate for 10 days," she told Good Morning Ulster.
"At the moment we are more or less closed so unless you are travelling for an essential reason you can't come to Northern Ireland.
"That GB market is going to be really important for us this summer," she said.
"With the testing and the roll out of the vaccination programme and the protocols airlines and ferries have put in place, we are getting to the point where we should be able to open travel up throughout the UK.
"The problem is we really don't have a plan. We want to see the road map for international travel, but for us we also want the road map for UK travel."
The industry body said 50% of visitors outside the region came from Great Britain before the pandemic.
The government has confirmed a traffic-light system will be used when international travel returns, but it will be up to the executive to follow the measure and agree on a date for foreign holidays to be permitted.
Belfast International Airport on Tuesday morning
Belfast International Airport's managing director Graham Keddie said he wants to see the executive align with England.
"To get summer re-started, aviation needs it [the traffic light system], hospitality needs it, travel needs it and we need to get going again.
"The damage to businesses across aviation and hospitality has been huge. We need some relaxation at some stage. With England, Scotland and Wales opening up, we need some dates.
"The businesses across this airport have been damaged, including the airport itself. We are on timed clocks. There is only so much longer we can survive as an industry," he said.
'Disappointing'
Meanwhile, three people have been arrested after the PSNI broke up house parties in the Holyland area in south Belfast on Monday night and into the early hours of Tuesday morning.
A total of 94 Cov4 notices (£200 fines issued to individuals, which are halved if paid within 14 days) and 11 Cov2 notices (warnings issued to stop a breach) were handed out by police.
Four people were also reported to the Public Prosecution Service, and one Community Resolution Notice was issued.
PSNI Ch Insp Gavin Kirkpatrick encouraged the public to report breaches of Covid-19 regulations, and said it was "disappointing that we continue to receive reports about noisy parties and anti-social behaviour in this residential area".
- Published24 March 2021
