Dáil debates

Thursday, 29 April 2021

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions

 

12:05 pm

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I can give her an assurance that I will do exactly that. I will be speaking to business organisations this evening, after the Cabinet meeting. I will be meeting, in small-group format, as I often do, with the Labour Employer Economic Forum, which comprises unions and employers, next week. There will be detailed engagement with unions and employers over the next couple of days.

The CRSS scheme, which is a weekly grant for businesses that are closed, will remain in place until businesses reopen. It will also remain in place if a business is trading at significantly reduced capacity. For example, many restaurants and pubs that might be able to open outdoors in June will still be able to avail of the payment because their trading will be so restricted by the rules that will be in place. As the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, and the Taoiseach always say, there will be no cliff edge at the end of June. There will be no rapid withdrawal of financial supports. We know they need to continue and that our economy has a better chance of bouncing back if they continue.

We also need to be honest with people, however. This is borrowed money from the ECB, banks, bondholders and from those some people wanted to burn not too long ago. Thankfully, we are able to borrow that money but it has to be refinanced.

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