Dáil debates

Wednesday, 20 May 2020

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements

 

12:40 pm

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

With respect, smart alec answers about Government formation do not cut it when we are dealing with women on maternity leave. The Minister's party refuses to talk to mine so let us stop the nonsense. I asked a straight question. Deputy Donohue is the Minister for Finance and he has officials at his disposal. I do not. The Minister has been given advice. Deputy Doherty made a phone call to the Revenue Commissioners and was informed that they are examining this matter and would work with the Minister's Department on it. I am asking a fair question. Can this be resolved for the women on maternity leave? The Minister should not make a political point of this and come back with glib responses. I asked him a fair question and I sought a fair response. It is unacceptable that the Minister politicised his response in the manner he did.

I want to move on to the matter of the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP. This matter is also important for significant numbers of people because there is some speculation that the payment could be cut back at some point. I know the Minister has written to the Business Committee requesting that the Estimate for Vote 37 be taken next week. He indicated in that letter that he would take the additional spending in the 12-week period and the additional money required until the end of the year into account. He also stated that he would take projections on the employment situation into account. I have a number of straight questions for the Minister on this matter. How many people on the PUP does the Minister expect to return to work over the next while? How many will be left on the PUP? Given that people need certainty, as they have had all the same bills and stresses in recent weeks, it would be wise if the payment remained at €350 until the end of the year. We want to get as many of those people back to work as possible. That will depend on the policy choices made on stimulus and investment, as was said earlier, rather than the path of austerity and cuts that was chosen previously. People want that reassurance that their incomes will not be cut or pared back. Can the Minister give that commitment?

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