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

On Deputy McDonald's comments and views on the recovery plan, today hotels, bed and breakfast accommodation, guest houses and hostels are opening. This is evidence the Government's strategy is working, in terms of reopening society and the economy and getting thousands of people back to work in construction, retail, personal services, hairdressing and childcare, which we are keen on doing. We are also providing substantial resources to provide additional job opportunities, in particular for young people. It is all about getting opportunities for young people, in terms of training and jobs.

Deputy McDonald consistently accuses other politicians of being disconnected. One gets the sense, in recent times, Sinn Féin is disconnected from reality. The Government will have borrowed €40 billion by the end of this year, in the middle of a pandemic. It is substantial. Up to €8 billion has been spent so far on the pandemic unemployment payment. Sinn Féin does not believe in raising revenue anywhere. It is just not real, in terms of what is coming from the Opposition side.

I do not know whether the Deputy has members on the education and training board, ETB. The Minister for Education cannot intervene in every ETB, but we will check that out, in respect of Cabra. I do not know the background of why Dublin City ETB has taken that decision.

On Deputy Kelly's question, it is Department officials who make decisions on the allocation. We all accept the campaigns informed citizens of all stages of restrictions, as they were introduced and, subsequently, lifted. That had to be done. Public information campaigns were used to communicated with citizens on the supports being made available by Government throughout the pandemic. Campaigns included information on business and well-being supports, postponement of the leaving certificate 2020, school reopening and the job stimulus plan.

Campaigns also encouraged key behaviours necessary to control the virus. Campaigns communicated the reopening plan in the summer of 2020 and the national framework for living with Covid-19. These are public information notices and there will be some of these notices on the recovery and resilience plan. There will not be any political advertising, but there will be public information, in respect of any new schemes which have come in, or any changes to existing schemes, which is public information citizens need to be able to access in a clear and concise manner.

Some of the campaigns have been innovative, particularly in respect of young people, because young people have lost out the most in the pandemic, in terms of opportunities and the quality of life. That has come back from research and in that context, we have refocused some advertising campaigns to connect with young people on a range of issues pertaining to the pandemic.

On the various schemes, we will continue, for example, the employment wage subsidy scheme. It has been extended to the end of the year. People and businesses need to know that. People need to know about the Covid-19 restrictions support scheme and the restart grant, which is very significant, in terms of doubling the rate for three weeks. That is all about real jobs. It is about making sure we protect real jobs in the economy and enable people to get back.

On Deputy Boyd Barrett's point, there will be a package for taxi drivers, which the Minister, Deputy Ryan, has been working on. I met with the taxi drivers on a range of issues. The music and entertainment business assistance scheme, MEBAS, has been announced and I will talk to the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin. I do not know whether Deputy Boyd Barrett has related that question to the Minister, who has been committed and persevered and worked hard to support the arts through a variety of schemes, including supports for artists, not just in terms of pandemic unemployment payments, but also initiatives which endeavour to protect different types of artists and musicians in different situations.

The MEBAS is one such announcement. Work is ongoing on a pilot scheme recommended by the recovery task force, in respect of basic income for artists, which would be groundbreaking. That is where we are. I do not accept Deputy Murphy's point. Again, for him, it seems it is all about the campaign. As far as I am concerned, it is about creating jobs and providing solutions to issues people face in their daily lives, not trying to exploit the challenges and problems on a continuing basis.

There is a campaign against this, that and the other. I do not get any sense of coherence as to how we create jobs in this society. Deputy Paul Murphy's position is very anti-enterprise and anti the creation of real jobs in our society and economy.

See this speech in context