John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her comprehensive reply. It cannot be said often enough that we owe thanks to the staff and officials of her Department for responding with such flexibility and agility as each crisis phase of the pandemic demanded and ensuring people got money in their pocket quickly, which was very reassuring. The Minister, in her reply, has helped to put a lie to the notion that there were many people scamming the system. There is strong evidence to show that people went back to work as soon as their employment became available again.

She referred earlier to people returning to their home countries and not coming back to Ireland. Are there any statistics showing whether a portion of those people continued to claim the PUP after returning to their home countries and, if so, is there any indication of whether they intend to come back? Gaps have opened up in some places in the employment market and data in that regard would be helpful.

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