MORE THAN 600 newsagents and convenience stores will close down this year with the loss of more than 7,000 jobs, it was claimed yesterday.
According to the Convenience Stores Newsagents Association, which represents 1,500 small- and medium-sized retailers around the State, about a dozen stores are closing down each week.
The organisation said that closures had accelerated rapidly since the new year, with many small towns suffering as a result.
“The speed at which small enterprises are being driven out of business is unprecedented,” said the association’s chief executive Vincent Jennings.
“Because these jobs are being lost a handful at a time, many people don’t realise the scale of the disaster, but this is a virulent cancer eating away at communities all over the country,” he added.
The association said that while the recession had had a major impact on convenience stores, new regulations and compliance issues had also had an effect on shop owners.
It has called on the Government to intervene to ensure that more newsagents and convenience do not go out of business.
Mr Jennings added: “Taoiseach Brian Cowen says that Ireland has to redouble its efforts to sustain employment and he personally insists that jobs are his number one priority. This sentiment should not just apply to companies like Dell or Intel.
“The Government must look at the regulations and potential regulations it has under its control and must not do anything that will cost struggling shopowners money they simply do not have at this time.”
