A proposal to allow florists across the North of Ireland to operate a click and collect service ahead of Mother’s Day has been vetoed by the Stormont Executive, Economy Minister Diane Dodds has said.
Speaking in the Assembly yesterday, Mrs Dodds said the plan to allow the businesses to reopen during lockdown to offer the service had been rejected by ministers.
The matter was raised by her party colleague DUP MLA Christopher Stalford who noted during questions to the minister that Mother’s Day was coming up on Sunday.
He asked whether florists would be allowed to reopen ahead of Mother’s Day for click and collect to the public.
Minister Dodds replied: “I am glad that we have been able to restore some click-and-collect services to businesses.
“It is but a very, very limited form of reopening the economy.”
The Minister said she proposed to the Executive to allow florists to reopen for Mother’s Day click and collect.
“Unfortunately, my proposal on that was not supported at the Executive.
“That is a pity, because it raises issues around how we treat small, independent retailers and the equity with which we treat them.
“You will be able to buy flowers in any of the multinationals, but you will not be able to go to a small, independent retailer and use a click-and-collect service.
“I regret that that is not possible, and I hope that it will become possible very soon.”
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