Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

On the CE schemes and those people who have hit the three-year limit, the current rules are, generally, that after a one year break they can requalify. Since level 5 restrictions kicked in during October 2020, there has been a stall on the closing of all CE contracts for participants. Currently, that extension is going at least until the end of March and beyond. When the country reopens then the agreements will be closed on a staggered basis so that the essential services referred to by the Deputy will not be hit.

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