Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Some 11,000 people could end up on the live register, which will cost money to the taxpayer anyway. If they are in employment, while there is a reduced PRSI contribution, their employer is still giving money back to the State. It does not cost the full amount to have somebody on a PUP payment. This keeps people employed. It keeps people within the sector that has been hit not only last Christmas, but now this Christmas. The Minister is interfering with their margins into next year. Not only are they down 28% or 29% this year, the Minister is now putting them in a position where they have no working capital for the first two months of next year. That is putting hotels in trouble, which may mean that he will have to correct that. They could end up with the banking system or the social welfare system. This is a way bigger picture altogether. This can be fixed for €7.5 million. Other companies have received €108 million under the scheme and they have been in the newspapers this week.

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