Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will start with taxi drivers, if the Minister of State does not mind. She will be aware that taxi drivers are back to square one in relation to this pandemic. I raised this with the Taoiseach and he pointed towards a booming economy in quarter 3 as some sort of defence of the Government's position on support for taxi drivers and the industry generally. Taxi drivers have been put to the pin of their collar and beyond. The night-time economy is gone. The daytime economy is 50% or less. Taxi drivers who are on the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, are having the PUP reduced. We are told by the Minister for Social Protection that taxi drivers can apply for the PUP again but that is not happening in practice. They are being refused access to the PUP time and again. They need the Minister of State's support.

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