Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief. I have two things to say. First, the Minister says that the Government had a duty and a need to protect the most vulnerable and that was why the pandemic unemployment payment was introduced. The Minister cannot argue that he is protecting the most vulnerable in a dutiful way by trying to tax working people who have lost their jobs in a pandemic. In the vast majority of cases they had their incomes reduced, not for a couple of weeks but for a sustained period to claw back tax on them. That has nothing to do with protecting the most vulnerable. That is putting the boot into the most vulnerable, to be blunt.

I asked the Minister earlier when we will get the figure for the total tax that is to be clawed back from PUP recipients as a whole by the State. I am not referring to the amount for one individual in this case or that case, but the total amount. The Minister gave an indication that perhaps it might be available this morning. That would be great. If it is available this morning, I would welcome it very much. If it is not available this morning, will the Minister please tell us when? I am not asking for next Tuesday at 10.20 a.m. or whatever, but will the Minister give in broad brush strokes an indication that we will have it within days or a week or whenever?