Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is fair to say the levels of State support from the Minister's Department for our citizens have been unprecedented during this time. It is right and proper that a First World country, one that values protecting its most vulnerable, would provide that level of a social safety net when people need it. We have done a good job, evidenced by the €10 billion or so we spent last year, in addition to normal spending, to protect and navigate our country through the worst elements of this pandemic. However, we are still on the front line. We are not there yet. We have a long way to go and the public is very aware of that. While it is welcome that we have certainty up until the end of March for probably the key support and payment, the pandemic unemployment, people are looking at the schedule for the vaccination programme and are talking about holidaying next year, so we are thinking quite long term with respect to coming out of this pandemic. We know we have another six months at least to go until things really turn. People need certainty about those supports upon which they rely so heavily, in particular the pandemic unemployment payment. The Minister's Department pays out approximately €140 million weekly on that payment alone. That is astronomical. It is keeping the wolves from the door for many people who rely on that payment. We know from the data we have collected that particularly those in retail, hospitality and the entertainment business have been the worst hit. Things do not look as though they will be turning around too quickly for those sectors, especially in the next six months.

My plea to the Minister is that she, along with her partners in government and colleagues at Cabinet, would provide as best as they can a schedule, timeline and some certainty, even if she was to divulge to citizens what metrics she would use to assess how that payment will be maintained, when it will be maintained until and at what rates. For example, if she was to say that if we were to be under level 5 restrictions again, the PUP would always kick in. If people had some level of certainty and knew the parameters, they would at least know what to expect when things move. It is very difficult for the Minister or any other member of Cabinet to predict what might happen come July, August and so on. We do not know. The Government uses a certain rationale to make those decisions. If we knew the decision-making process, it would give people an element of certainty insofar as the Minister could provide it.

I also want to raise the issue of single parent households who are finding things very difficult during these times. They would have fewer supports than many other households. Something needs to be considered for them in terms of a wrap-around support. Many of the community supports that were in place are no longer there. There is so much sadness, grief and challenge in the country that often people in those situations feel as though their voices cannot be heard because there is just not enough space to do so. That is a cohort of the population we need to look after because they are extremely vulnerable.

I also want to raise the issue of pilots in the aviation sector. Senator Craughwell also raised this issue. There is an issue in that sector to which we do not yet have a solution. More information is to be gathered. It presents a problem, particularly when right and proper decisions are being taken to restrict that industry and sector.We then have to try our best to look after those most impacted, as we would with any other sector.

The supports for business have been excellent, but many people with part-time or short-term contracts, in particular in the tourism and hospitality sectors, are looking for particular supports. They are the most important sectors for employment in many parts of rural Ireland. In my county, Mayo, quite a number of people are employed in retail and hospitality. Tourism, after agriculture, is our biggest sector. A lot of people are worried about talk of the sector not being fully open until the latter part of this year. Some sort of roadmap, plan or clarity, as best we can, would assist those sectors. I wish the Minister well. It is a difficult task to mind everybody. It is what we must do and we are here to do our best in that regard.