The Society of the Irish Motor Industry says it is now making preparations for social distance selling after new car sales plummeted last month.
Showrooms in Carlow and Kilkenny and right across the country have been shut now since mid March and the impact on sales is evident.
200 fewer cars have been sold in Carlow so far this year compared to last while Kilkenny has seen a drop of 350.
Nationally sales are down more than 30 percent – dropping by a massive 96 percent in April when only 344 cars were sold compared with nearly 9 thousand the same month last year.
SIMI Director General Brian Cooke says Covid-19 is having a devastating effect on the industry but that members have been using the downtime to implement measures that will protect employees and customers against the spread of the virus.
He says with the July registration period approaching the industry will be well placed to help start activity in the economy and protect the jobs of almost 50 thousand people working in it.
