Economy

CSO to measure impact of Covid-19 on business

New survey will provide up-to-date snapshot of fallout from pandemic shutdown

Two women wearing face masks make their way to the shops on an almost deserted Henry Street in Dublin’s city centre. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Mon Apr 20 2020 - 05:00

The business impact of Covid-19 will be measured in a new survey being sent to 3,000 companies across the State by the Central Statistics Office.

The online survey is designed to produce a very up-to-date snapshot of the impact of the virus on Irish business, with results published within two weeks of the data being gathered.

The questionnaire will ask company owners and managers how the coronavirus crisis has affected their business in terms of business activity and access to finance, and the steps they have taken in response, such as changes in their workforce and organisational structures as well as whether they have availed of Government support schemes.

"By completing the survey, businesses will be helping the CSO to produce important statistics on the effects of the Covid-19 crisis so far," said CSO statistician Colin Hanley. "This information matters, for the business community and for policy makers."

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Invitations to complete what the CSO said is a 10-minute online survey will be sent out by email and completed by the end of this week. The CSO says it hopes to publish the results “within two weeks”.

The CSO said that it plans to provide updates to the survey on a fortnightly basis. That will allow policymakers get a quick readout on how effective support measures that have been put in place are and also how companies are reacting to any gradual reopening of the economy.

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