The Balbriggan salon opened twice this week despite restrictions.

Two women have been arrested after a salon in Balbriggan, Dublin opened twice this week amid Level 5 restrictions. Gardaí were called to the C and N Beauty Rooms after owners opened its doors for the second time this week despite current lockdown measures. Two women were arrested at the scene. Salon owner Christine McTiernan said yesterday that she reopened her salon "purely for survival." Under Ireland's current Covid restrictions non-essential businesses, including hairdressers, barbers, and salons, are not permitted to trade. "I have to put food on the table. I have to pay my rent. All my bills have to be paid," Christine told Newstalk this week. "What is happening does not stop my bills from coming so I have to pay them. So yes, it is purely for survival I am doing this.” She added: “I am taking a stand on my behalf. This is for me. I have to do what I have to do to pay my bills and that is what is important to me.” This comes following an increase in so-called "black market" services operating during lockdown. Last year, the Irish Spa Association warned of the dangers surrounding such services, predominantly those offered by the cosmetics industry. "It’s always been an issue but now it has increased considerably because of the demand," co-founder Anita Murray told Her last year. "Before, there might have been a willingness to turn a blind eye to it, but now there’s far more of a risk to public health." Despite this, many businesses owners and customers alike report feeling "forced" to use black market services in the current situation. Athlone barber Robbie Connaughton recently told RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne that such services are "rife" during this year's lockdown. "All you have to do is look around you, everybody is getting their hair cut because they have to," he said. "There are 25,000 people employed in this sector and at least 10,000 of them are really struggling. "If you have that many people struggling and people are reaching out to them for hair cuts, they're visiting homes without taking precautions."