Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach just confirmed that this is not extra money and that it is a matter of choosing between toilets and HEPA filters. That is an absolutely scandalous position that he has been trying to avoid spelling out all afternoon. I have been listening to him.

In any case, I want to ask a question about the sneaky fine print with regard to the announcement made by the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, which brings in a new rock bottom pandemic unemployment payment, PUP rate of €150 per week, which is less than the dole and far below the poverty line. It is a lump of coal in the stockings of those hospitality and entertainment workers who have lost their jobs due to the new restrictions. The PUP should be properly restored at €350 per week for all. The question now is if those who lost their jobs in the past weeks due to the restrictions and had to sign on to regular unemployment allowance as the PUP was closed will be allowed to switch to the PUP and get the higher rates or, as seems to be implied by the Minister's press statement, are they stuck on the lower rates because they were let go a few days too soon?

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