Leaders' Questions: SF kicking off with today's cut to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Taking effect in today's payments, but put in place 24 hours before Dublin went to Level 3… while the Government also appoints 10 more special advisors for ministers
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) September 22, 2020
“The real danger we face now is this – that people become more terrified of losing their job, losing their home, of not being able to provide for their family than they are of the virus”, says Sinn Féin leader @MaryLouMcDonald, calling for more #Covid19 supports pic.twitter.com/opTPmF9hFw
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) September 22, 2020
This afternoon.
Dáil Eireann,
The Taoiseach has defended the Government’s decision to appoint ten special advisers for Junior Ministers.
He was responding to Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald, who said she was gobsmacked and astounded at the move.
She said this was happening following a mean cut to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment that will be felt by many people from today.
Micheál Martin said the PUP originally came in as a 12-week scheme and the Government has already put €3.5 billion into the scheme.
He said the economic impact of Covid could go right through the entirety of 2021, and that the fiscal planning has to take that into consideration.
Taoiseach defends appointment of ten advisers for junior minister (RTÉ)
Meanwhile…
Social Democrats co-leader @CathMurphyTD calls on Taoiseach @MichealMartinTD to include parents of children who are sent home from school due to #Covid19 concerns in the enhanced illness benefit scheme | https://t.co/eLzzd0kQye pic.twitter.com/uOoMN8vHqB
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) September 22, 2020
What have we got ministers for at all? Why not have one big figurehead ‘Minister’ , a stack of advisors, and let him/her read out a weekly list of things the advisors advised of. No other ministers, junior ministers, super-duper ministers, no office staff. savings all round.
Just like in North Korea?
It really highlights how stunningly incompetent FFFGGP ministers are if they genuinely need so many adviser’s or they are just rewarding their cronies with jobs for the boys and girls.
What’s the difference between one minister reading out advice, and say, 10 ministers readingnout the same advice? The whip system isn’t too far off the style of leadership you mention.
There’s the usual shocking demonstration of ignorance in the comments.
Junior Ministers have had advisors for decades. Nothing new there.
Ministers are expected to stand up and talk on Bills such as the Property Services (Regulation) (Amendment) (Management Company Regulation) Bill and the Health (Amendment) (Professional Home Care) Bill. They need advice. They can’t be experts on everything.
The Department of Enterprise covers areas from furniture standards to work permits to copyright. No one is an expert in all these areas. Civil servants provide briefing but political advisors are there to provide the big picture and the political context. This is the way it is in most democracies.
How much was the equivalent emergency payment in Northern Ireland, where SF are actually in government?
how much is the cost of living, rent etc in the pound
I don’t know; depends if you are living in Belfast or Ballygobackwards, I suppose.
The point I am making is all of SF’s constituents in NI were on £90 a week for the duration of the pandemic.
can’t imagine that going far
Really? https://home.kpmg/ie/en/home/insights/2020/04/covid-19-job-retention-scheme-northern-ireland.html
I can’t believe anyone can be so thick. Rob. They’re in an Assembly. Northern Ireland is governed by Westminster. That’s explained to you regularly. Can you not take it in?
No he can’t.
I’d say the fraperoom is in despair of the quality of yokes they send out to bat for them.
Perhaps..
Or else they just don’t care and spend their time inventing ways to please their donors.
It’s a pity that SF don’t have any seats in Westminster.
Do you mean the assembly in Northern Ireland where they had a bill to cap the salaries of special advisers, and SF voted against it – that Assembly?
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/sinn-f%C3%A9in-denies-contradiction-on-adviser-pay-policy-1.2543131
…I believe that the process towards Irish unity will begin when the ‘no deal’ brexit commences next January…Cian and Bog_R will be relieved that the first thing to change will be equalisation of Social Service payments…