Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

It is positive that the figures are going in the right direction. That is good to see. I always try to take the opportunity to acknowledge the work that goes on in the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners. The local employment offices were of great assistance to people in the past 18 months. It is positive when people go back to work and full-time employment but, in general, the people we hear from are the ones who are struggling and who do not get full-time employment. I hear especially from people in the music and entertainment industry. I have spoken to the Minister about this before, and to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin. I know both Ministers are working on solutions in that regard. The difficulty is the uncertainty and the stop-start nature of the work that is causing problems. How does the Department support people who do not fully lose their job but whose rate of employment is uncertain?

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