Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have just a few questions, to which I hope answers can be given within the three and a half minutes I have.

I have asked the Department for its views on areas of social deprivation and how the prevalence of Covid-19 is impacting these areas around the country. A recent study by the Donegal Women’s Network reinforces some of the issues I raised with the Minister about deprivation and the impacts of Covid-19. The North, reportedly, already has this information. What are her views on this? Will she take in this information as part of her work?

I turn to the matter of enhanced illness benefit for people who are extremely medically vulnerable. The Government has said that all employers have been putting the health and safety of employees front and centre during this pandemic, but this is not the case. I have been contacted by one worried wife and mother who told me that her husband's employer has not facilitated him to work from home and has continued to insist that he work in a customer-facing role. At that start of all of this, when cocooning guidelines were first issued by NPHET, he took that advice and stayed at home. His employer did not offer to pay him or arrange for him to work from home even though it would have been possible. Instead, this man was able to claim the €350 rate of PUP. Now it has been cut to €203 per week. For people in these situations is it possible that the PUP could be reinstated to €350 per week?

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