Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

10 o’clock

I reiterate that if the plan is as it was in April and it comes to pass that when the Minister says there will be no cliff edge it would be a move onto the jobseeker's payment of €203, the Minister must recognise that that is a much lower payment for many people. In addition, we know already that of the more than 19,000 people aged 18 to 24 who are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance, nearly 15,000 are on the reduced rate of €112.70 a week. That has to be taken into account.

I hope the Minister will also be able to address the issue of those who did not qualify or who were moved off the PUP and onto jobseeker's benefit and who are now running out of PRSI contributions in order to keep that jobseeker's benefit where their jobs are still not there to return to. Can there be any concession, leeway or flexibility for those people who do not have a job due to the public health restrictions and whose PRSI contributions are running out in respect of jobseeker's benefit?

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