Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and congratulate her. I thank the former Minister, Senator Doherty, and welcome the extension of the pandemic unemployment payment to April. It is a matter of social solidarity. The employment wage subsidy scheme allows for businesses to open or to remain open, but it is also about keeping jobs through the winter. Everything we do should be to protect people and to create, sustain and protect employment. That is what Government is about. The Government and local authorities should look after businesses and workers. I make the point again that we must work with our banks and that our banks must be held to account.

I hear Senator Gavan, for whom I have great respect, making political speeches. His party hawked itself around the country-----