With the indulgence of the Ceann Comhairle-----

-----the previous speaker went to eight minutes, so if the Taoiseach could answer the question with the one minute flexibility the Ceann Comhairle gave-----

It did.

I welcome the decision on the wage subsidy scheme. I will make the point that I have made to the Minister privately, namely, that it still does not go far enough. Those on the minimum wage are better off on the pandemic unemployment payment and it is crucial that people are connected with their employers. I ask the Minister to keep this under review when considering the new round of figures when nearly twice as many people are receiving the pandemic unemployment payment as are availing of the wage subsidy scheme. T…

Ar dtús báire, déanaim comhbhrón le teaghlaigh na beirte a fuair bás inné mar gheall ar Covid-19. Tá cuid mhór le déanamh. Caithfidh muidne sa Teach seo comhoibriú le chéile sa dóigh is go dtig linn na tragóidí seo a ísliú agus a stopadh san am atá amach romhainn. Cuireann muidne i Sinn Féin ár mbuíochas in iúl do na hoibrithe, go háirithe na hoibrithe sláinte agus iad sin uilig atá ar an líne thosaigh, atá ag troid in éadan an víris, Covid-19. Caithfidh muid níos mó a dhéanamh dóibh, go háirithe ó thaobh trealaimh…

There is no doubt this is a time of great uncertainty for all of us and a time of great financial stress for those who have been laid off and for employers who have had to close their premises. All this brings hardship for thousands or hundreds of thousands of workers and families throughout the State. The Government must act fast to mitigate the damage caused by the public health emergency. It must do whatever it takes to support incomes and workers. It must ensure there is relief for business so that we are in a …

I want to echo the comments made by Deputy Michael McGrath on the guidance Revenue needs to provide. I am very concerned that the way this legislation is drafted means it could be open to abuse or misinterpretation by employers who would be entitled to it. Some of the amendments I am putting forward are done in the spirit of strengthening a scheme which I support and which I called for before. Amendment No. 60 deals with the case that this should not be available to a class of employer that has been requested to cl…

Half the time the Minister got, though.

This has really been rushed through. We welcome support for workers and employers and keeping that connection with the employer. That is accepted. Our view is that there should be two different schemes. One should be for workers who are not producing, at home and not providing to the company. They are basically not working but still connected to the company, which is what the pandemic unemployment payment is for. It should be 100% of net wages up to €525. The second part should be this type of scheme, where workers…

I move amendment No. 60: In page 27, line 10, to delete “and” and substitute the following: “(c) the business, or class of business, of an employer has not been requested to close by the Minister for the purpose of preventing, limiting, minimising or slowing the spread of Covid-19 or to deal with public health risks arising from the spread of Covid-19, and where an exception has not been made for that employer by the Minister, and”.

I move amendment No. 62: In page 27, line 16, after “commerce” to insert the following: “they are unable to pay to a specified employee 70 per cent of the net weekly emoluments that would have otherwise been payable, or some lower percentage as considered appropriate by the Minister or”.

I move amendment No. 66: In page 29, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following: “(7) Any period of time during which the wage subsidy provided for by this section is in payment shall not be considered a break in the employee’s service.”.

I move amendment No. 67: In page 30, between lines 19 and 20, to insert the following: “(16) Where an employer fails to retain a specified employee for a period of 12 months after 30 June 2020 for reasons related to the temporary wage subsidy, the employer shall be liable for penalty.”.

Will the Minister clarify the treatment of the wage subsidy scheme for employees who live across the Border, in particular those who have been temporarily laid off and perhaps taken back onto the payroll of their employers? Will they be able to avail of this scheme? The Government and its Ministers will be aware of this issue and I heard the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, address it in regard to the pandemic unemployment payment. As somebody who comes from a Border constituency, I know we have had a huge number of rep…

Gabhaim buíochas agus déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Cheann Comhairle agus lena theaghlach a bheith atofa d'Oifig an Chinn Comhairle. Is onóir agus pribhléid mhór dó féin agus dá theaghlach. Tá sé ina onóir mhór agus ina phribhléid domsa ainm Theachta Mary Lou McDonald, uachtarán Shinn Féin, a chur chun tosaigh mar Thaoiseach. Roimh an olltoghchán seo, dúirt Sinn Féin go mbeadh an chéad thoghchán eile ar cheann de na toghcháin is tábhachtaí le fada an lá. Bhí an deis ann, tríd an olltoghchán, saol mhuintir an oileán…