Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister knows, I represent County Donegal. There are large numbers of workers resident in Derry, west Tyrone and Fermanagh who work and pay taxes and social insurance in Donegal, making a major contribution to the county's economy. They have been left blowing in the wind by the Minister and her Department, which is absolutely disgraceful. They were told to go across the Border into the North, and unfortunately, as a result of partition and the actions of the British Government, they receive a third of the amount received by workers by their side who pay the same taxes and social insurance. It is an absolute disgrace and repugnant to the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement.

We can speak about the pandemic unemployment payment. It is a flexible scheme, which is very welcome, and it is for self-employed, full-time and part-time workers. The website is used as a source of advice by people working on both sides of the Border. It indicates that where a person has been laid off temporarily - as the people I speak of have - that person is paid unemployment benefit in the State where his or her taxes or social insurance were paid. That has been the practice. I argue that the practice that the Minister and her Department have stood over for months now is in defiance of European Union guidance. It is certainly repugnant to the Good Friday Agreement. I ask the Minister to respond now on why she is standing over this disgraceful practice.

See this speech in context