Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. The EWSS and its predecessor have been hugely important as the link between employer and employee. It was one of the core supports introduced by the previous Government and continued since then. It is a key component of the Government's Covid response for business. The priority has been maintaining jobs and businesses once the pandemic ends. We all accept it has lasted longer than any of us expected or hoped.

At the start of this month, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, confirmed that payments of more than €3.61 billion and PRSI credit of more than €590 million have been granted to 50,100 employers in respect of some 592,000 workers on the EWSS. Recently, the CSO published analysis of Covid-19 income supports, including the scheme, as part of its Frontier Series. Interestingly, that analysis shows the 35- to 44-year-old group is most supported by the scheme, followed by the 25- to 34-year-old group and the 45- to 54-year-old group.This is not surprising as a key support and a key aspect of the scheme is to maintain the crucial link between employer and employee. It is not surprising that the wholesale and retail trade sectors and accommodation and food service activities benefit significantly from that support.

We have always emphasised the importance of avoiding a cliff edge. I agree with Senator Casey on this when it comes to Covid-19 supports for workers and businesses. This is why this section, which extends the EWSS to the end of the year, is so important. I hope we will not need further extensions but I expect that if they were needed then they would be provided. This is because at the core of Government has been the wish to support business and workers and to provide the crucial link between business and workers.