Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I have looked at the document the Government has placed in the Oireachtas Library that sets out the proposals it has made to the social partners and I would like to ask some questions about the proposed temporary employment subsidy scheme. Has agreement been reached with the social partners on the establishment of the scheme? Is the €250 million for the full duration of the scheme, which will last for 15 months, or is it an annual amount? Does the Government intend stepping up to the plate on the proposals made both by ICTU and IBEC for a €1 billion scheme and that the proposal for a €250 million employment scheme will be part of a wider approach?

What is the estimated number of people who will take up the temporary employment scheme? When will it start and when will applications be entertained? To whom will applications be made and by whom will they be made — the employers or individual employees?

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