Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, and Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan after they launched the Economic Recovery Plan in Dublin Castle
For Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael “we are all in this together” was clearly just a slogan.
Slashing support payments to workers who will still be prevented from returning to work is deeply unfair and so very wrong – @MaryLouMcDonald #Dáil pic.twitter.com/OT9uJCxEpF
— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) June 1, 2021
This afternoon.
In the Daíl at the Convention Centre, Dublin
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald responds to the the announcement of a gradual tapering off of Pandemic Unemployment Payments (PUP) by €50 from 7 September, with further €50 cuts planned for November 16 and February 8, 2022 as part of the National Recovery Plan.
Meanwhile…
“You repeatedly promised there would be no cliff edge when it came to the withdrawal of PUP.
“Yet today you have announced there will be a cliff edge. That no matter what level of restrictions are in place in Sept, payments will be reduced,” says @RoisinShortall pic.twitter.com/rUMQGxr7wP
— Social Democrats (@SocDems) June 1, 2021
This afternoon.
Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall told the Dáil that the PUP cuts will result in 40% reduction in income by next February and push people onto the breadline.
Via RTE:
She asked the Taoiseach: “Why have you done, what you swore not to do, and will undoubtedly lead more into poverty?”
Ms Shortall said the move would result in a cliff-edge, despite numerous promises.
She said to start cutting the PUP in September was an “arbitrary date” – something which would happen “… no matter what the public health advice or what jobs may or may not be available”.
The Dublin North West TD said that the cut of €50 which was due to take place in September was a 15% cut in payments for “… those who can least afford it”.
Decision to reduce PUP ‘premature and unfair’ – Sinn Féin (RTÉ)
Earlier: Recoverability
This feels like argument for arguments sake.
+1 yes, plenty of other things to have real arguments on such as housing and how to fund public services… go for the jugular…
Having said that, i know two musicians whose only income was from playing in hotels and pubs. They were cut to €250 a while ago and finding it extremely difficult.
I dunno, this feels like they’re trying to force potentially unvaccinated people back to work. They always revert to massive paranoia about the possibility that someone, somewhere might be skiving.
In the past two weeks I’ve spoken to two different business owners who can’t get there staff back to work. (or new staff in to work)
The general jist is “I’m getting 350 quid off the gov, you’re only going to pay me about 550 for a 40 hour week – so why would I come back now?”
Of course that’s anecdotal, but we have to get back to normal.
So as crappy as it will be to lose the PuP for some – it has to be done I’m afraid.
Plus, it’ll mean my own biz can start up again properly – and I won’t have time to post here anymore.
Eh? Win win eh?
€550 for a 40-hour week. I’d say you’re an exception Micko. €10.20 per hour is the minimum wage.
Not my job man. I’m in a completely different industry.
It was a beauty salon owner and the owner of a barber I was talking to (while taming my barnet) ;)
Fierce trouble they’re both having. And funnily enough – both said to me that there is NO WAY they’d have those staff back who refused to come back (or ask the new ones) again.
So, shooting themselves in the foot at the same time.
“It was a beauty salon owner and the owner of a barber I was talking to (while taming my barnet) ;)”
Took both of them to take care of the hedge?… must have been in some state… thoughts and prayer at this difficult time!
Ha ha!
You should see me toenails
Angle grinder job… took hours.
One of em kept on shouting “we can rebuild him, we have the technology” over and over.
Hair and beauty is going to have real issues because so many are now used to working solo. Many customers are also happy with this new arrangement as its more convenient- and cheaper.
Feck. €550 isn’t to be sneezed at. it’s 200 more, and soon to be €250 more than PUP.
Absolutely.
“Of course that’s anecdotal”
Of course it is, man with two pints.
People are deciding that working minimum wage, unsocial hours, ever changing schedules isn’t worth what they’re being paid. Maybe employers need to treat employees better if they want to get their workers back.
Yeah, that’s not what I’m saying. And that’s not how those businesses treat their employees. (Sorry “workers”)
But you know that.
You remind me of Citizen Smith.
A pound shop Che Guevara.
I caught tail end of news with singer Mary Coughlan saying she’ll be ruined if they cut the PUP.
My son’s schoolfriends are rolling in it, after being on the PUP for 15 months instead of the 2 hours at the weekend they used to work. That’s a lot of taxpayer’s euros.