Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The latest statistics from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection show that 27,800 people are in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment in Cork. Last week, that figure was 30,600 and, on 5 May, it was 61,900. These figures show there has been a serious reduction in the number of people claiming the PUP and that people who have jobs are going back to work. That is what this payment was there for. These are not people who are unemployed; they have jobs and are waiting to go back to work. Suggesting these people should look for jobs goes against the whole concept of this payment. Unlike the recent Government advice, it is straightforward. When their jobs are available, these people will go back to work.

On 4 June, the then Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, said that anyone who was working full time before the pandemic will not have their unemployment payment cut. I spoke to a lady recently who was travelling to Scotland to visit a terminally ill relative. She is now terrified about her return because she is in fear that her PUP will be cut. How can it be justified that a person should be in this kind of fear when he or she is going to do something as important as this? It goes to show the confusion around the Government's change of attitude towards people.

My colleagues and I have repeatedly raised the issue of those aged over 66 not qualifying for the PUP. I was contacted by numerous people, including bus drivers and the self-employed. In one case, a lady contacted me about her husband who is over 66 and who is a taxi driver. He was told to cocoon and they did everything the health experts told them to. She said that they have received virtually no support from the Government. The hardship grant they applied for was not supported by the Government. Those people, along with 21,000 others, did not receive the hardship grant because there was no support from this Government. They also looked for a rebate on their motor tax because, as this man was cocooning, he was not driving his taxi. The Government did not supply that either. It was the one payment the Government could have given him if it could not give him the €350. If it was able to, at least, top up his payment to €350, it would have gone some way to support this family.

The Government has refused to support those over 66 during this pandemic. ALONE was overwhelmed by the phone calls it was getting from elderly people who are suffering during the pandemic. The Government did not step in support them. Samaritans Ireland lent a hand to support ALONE in trying to deal with the thousands of calls it was getting from people who were worried and upset.

Regarding those who are travelling, instead of Covid-testing passengers who are coming into airports, this Government is means-testing them. I remember when the Covid-19 crisis---

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