Mr. Danny McCoy:

On the first question on the balance between public health and the economy, clearly Covid-19 is the issue of our day but we know from many experiences in this country that the public health dimension of the economic crisis will probably dwarf what is happening with Covid-19 if we remain closed. We see that in what has already not been tested in terms of the full utilisation of the health system, be that two-tiered or single-tiered. That is part of the reimagining that needs to take place with regard to our social dialogue conversation.

On the issue the Deputy mentioned with employers and their responsibilities, the vast majority of employers, like the vast majority of employees, have been involved in the national effort and unity that has pertained in this and they have remained together. There are exceptions on every front and those exceptions come forward more for highlighting but there has been a national effort by all. The Deputy says there is a difference between the temporary wage subsidy scheme and the pandemic unemployment payment but it is the same issue. It would have been preferable to keep people attached to their businesses and in so doing to have had the wage subsidy scheme dwarf the PUP during this phase but that was not to be because it was not in place in time.