Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In regard to Deputy Pringle's two questions, I want to deal with the matter of reserves and make very clear that because a company has cash-in-hand is not a reason for it either to apply for this scheme or be on it. I have spoken directly to the chairman of the Revenue Commissioners on this point and he made the point to me that a company having reserves or cash-in-hand is exactly what it needs to be able to recover, honour commitments it may have to suppliers and pay debts. To be absolutely clear about it, a company having reserves is not a reason it should be on this scheme. As always, companies should talk directly to the Revenue Commissioners who will help with this matter.

While I am talking about the scheme I want to place on the record of the House my appreciation for the Payroll Software Developers Association, which has been instrumental in setting up the scheme and having it operational as quickly as we have been able to do so.

On the issue of frontier workers raised by Deputy Pringle, I dealt with that matter earlier in the session but I will briefly say again, and I think he is aware, that the access to payments like this are determined by one's point of residency. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection informs me that this is a well-established principle in regard to how we make these payments available and that this is consistent with the way the European Union treats these kinds of matters.

Regarding the recovery plan and where it stands at the moment, we are beginning to give consideration now to what the next phase of the recovery plan will look like. I say "next phase" because the first phase of it was the wage subsidy scheme currently in place but as we become clearer on the parts of our economy that can be reopened as the public health guidance allows it, the Government will have to put in place measures to help with those parts of our economy reopening. We are not at the stage yet of changing that public health guidance.

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