Estimates for Public Services 2020 (Resumed)
Dail Éireann — 2020-05-28
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Peadar Tóibín (AON), Meath West

I am sorry. The situation is not the same as for typical, normal Estimates. These are in direct contradiction to the Government's commitment to continue the Covid payments. By definition, these Estimates are hocus pocus. We in the Opposition are being blackmailed. We either stand over these hocus pocus social welfare Estimates or the whole social welfare system grinds to a halt. What other element of society would organise its business in such a deliberately dysfunctional fashion?
The Government is on the record as saying that the Covid payments will continue but, if this is true, in what form will they continue? I have no doubt that they will continue for some people but they are likely to change radically for many others. There will be significant changes. What significant changes will be made to people's Covid payments in the future?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2020-05-28/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:48:19+00:00
Sitting date: 2020-05-28