Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Bill provides for the reopening of the employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS, for certain businesses that would otherwise not be eligible and for such businesses to continue to be supported until the expiry of the scheme. The objective of the scheme is to support employment and maintain the link between employer and employee. Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government has adopted a proactive and dynamic approach to supporting businesses and individuals during those challenging times, and they really were challenging.

I want to ask the Minister about hauliers, agricultural contractors and other businesses that are experiencing the same threat. Can they avail of such supports? The Taoiseach this morning told the Chamber that countries all around the world are facing the same price hikes and pressures. When Covid first came, countries all around the world faced the same threat. We all stepped up. The threat is the same now to the livelihoods of hauliers, suppliers and the agriculture sector. We are already hearing that farmers cannot continue to supply food at the current prices in the face of inflation. Even today a man rang me who was really in a desperate state. He was really upset and said he had to think about letting go of his staff and shutting down his business because he is not able to sustain the price of the fuel. This is really worrying. I firmly believe that people are on their knees and businesses are going to be in crisis.

Since Christmas so many people have told me they cannot turn on their heating in their house. The cost of heating oil has nearly doubled since January. The weather is so bad. My own mother is nearly 87. She rarely goes out of the house and she has her heating on 24-7. She is telling me now that she has to look at her options because the price of heating is unreal. If we are able to cut the price of diesel and petrol, surely we should be able to cut the price of kerosene. We cannot have people in their homes unable to turn on their heating.

I welcome the excise cut this morning. However, petrol pumps are already hiking their prices to absorb it. I have seen it happening. This is not right and we must call it out when some businesses are faced with closure and other businesses might take advantage of them. The public feel they are not being listened to. We have learned how to work together in the pandemic and we must work together now to save jobs. I firmly believe we are looking at livelihoods now.

We are giving more money to the fuel allowance recipients, which I welcome. The energy credit scheme will begin to show on people's electricity bills next month. Any help we give is so important. However, people are crying out for more help here. We need to do more on this. Can businesses suffering because of the fuel crisis avail of the wage subsidy scheme? Is the Minister exploring that in the context of the global crisis?

I welcome that the pandemic recognition payment will be tax-free as agreed by the Government. There is so much confusion. So many nurses and others have rung me confused about who will get it, when they will get it, the timeline, the criteria and what exactly is happening. While I welcome the payment, I wish to highlight the lack of information when we announce something. I just cannot understand that we do not give the proper timescale and information and let the front-line workers and our nurses know what is happening.

I ask the Minister to come back to me on these very serious issues. I know everybody is doing their best but people are very worried at the moment. They are worried about jobs. We are back again the way we were nearly two years ago but this is a different crisis. If we do not help in this crisis we are going to have massive changes. It is not good for the people of Ireland, for their mental health, for jobs or in general. I ask the Minister to do what he can and not to leave anyone in a home where they cannot afford to use their heating oil.

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