Now that shops have been allowed to open on public holidays and those falling on a Sunday, it seems that many sales assistants will not be entitled to a day off from work but will be compelled to report for work.

This in turn will reduce the number of those taking day or weekend trips or spending more leisure time with their family or friends. This means that public holidays should be called ‘privileged holidays’ for only a section of the workforce.

Apart from this, are those who live near shops and in commercial areas not entitled to a day off once in a while from the hustle and bustle of delivery vans and trucks and throngs of people frequenting these outlets?

If customers wish to have longer opening hours why not extend shop hours until 10 p.m. on weekdays but still leave Sundays and public holidays as days of rest?

The secret of well-being in the post-modern world is a diversified economy with specialised niches. Having all shops open on public holidays will mean less business to that sector of our economy – hotels and catering establishments and ancillary services – which generates so much wealth. Shortsightedness often drives otherwise healthy economies to the wall – ask the Greeks, Portuguese, Spaniards, Irish, and Italians.