Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Hold on. Last month, the Government also approved the extension of Covid-19 illness benefit to the end of March 2021. It is important to note that the Covid-19 illness benefit payment and the pandemic unemployment payment are also available to people living in direct provision centres as well as to applicants for international protection who live in the community outside of the direct provision system. I discussed this with the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Heather Humphreys, over a month ago. We considered how we get into the direct provision centres and meat plants to make sure workers know their rights and entitlements and do not fear having to put their hands up to say they have symptoms.

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