More than 30,000 come off pandemic unemployment payment to return to work
More than 33,000 people have come off the Government’s coronavirus pandemic unemployment payment as they have returned to work.
The €350 per week payment is available for employees and self-employed people who have lost all their employment due to the pandemic.
Senior Government official Liz Canavan said as of April 9, more than 33,000 people have closed off their payment.
She said: “Approximately 80% of these claims were closed because the recipient has returned to work. Some 5% of these said they were claiming another social benefit payment, while 15% did not give a specific reason why they closed their payment.”
It was confirmed that 40,300 employers have now registered for the Temporary Wage Subsidy scheme, with €34m in wage refunds already paid out.
Ms Canavan said the Easter Bunny may not be able to visit households this Easter.
She added: “There are many good reasons why the Easter bunny may not be able to visit households this year, so whether the Easter Bunny arrives or not – celebrate the day and stay at home.”
Health Minister Simon Harris said new laws preventing unnecessary travel are “not about snitching on your neighbour”, as he appealed to people to stay at home this weekend.
Mr Harris signed beefed-up regulations on Tuesday night that will give gardaí the power to arrest and detain individuals flouting the Covid-19 restrictions.
The laws are due to expire at midnight on Easter Sunday, but there are concerns people are more likely to make unnecessary trips with sunny weather forecast for the weekend.
Mr Harris told Virgin Media News that enforcement of the laws will be used sparingly.
Wednesday update - meeting with @INMO_IRL, work of @HIQA with nursing homes, letters from children around the country, North South telephone call, wellbeing programme & why we need you to #stayathome #coronavirus #Covid19 https://t.co/moZCTZmaVR
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) April 8, 2020
“It is important that the guards have it as a last resort but they do have powers to ask you to return home. We have got to remember why they’re doing this; they’re doing it because they’re trying to keep you safe,” he said.
On Wednesday, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said people should contact gardaí if they are aware of people flouting the new laws.
Mr Harris said: “I think we have got to be clear here, I mean this is not a police state. The people are already working really hard in really difficult and stressful circumstances. People have been cooped up at home for a number of weeks trying to keep the kids occupied and people are trying their best.
“I think what we’re asking the Irish people this weekend is to show common sense and we’re all in this together.
- The latest restrictions in operation since Friday, March 27 mandate that everyone should stay at home, only leaving to:
- Shop for essential food and household goods;
- Attend medical appointments, collect medicine or other health products;
- Care for children, older people or other vulnerable people - this excludes social family visits;
- Exercise outdoors - within 2kms of your home and only with members of your own household, keeping 2 metres distance between you and other people
- Travel to work if you provide an essential service - be sure to practice social distancing
“If I decided to break the public health rules this weekend, I’m putting your family at risk. It’s not about snitching on the neighbour. It’s about basically realising the seriousness of this.
“Everyone seems to think this is just a virus that affects older people, and it’s also affecting many younger people at different ages as well so this is a virus that doesn’t discriminate on age, doesn’t discriminate gender, and it could not be more serious.
“So this Easter weekend we are asking you to stay at home. The alternative is so much worse.”
When asked what advice he would give to someone who has a neighbour flouting the law, he said: “The first thing you should do is drop the neighbour a text and say ‘come on now – you’re putting us all at risk here’.
“Of course if you feel that the public health advice isn’t being supported then the law of the land is clear and of course you should contact Gardai, but I don’t think we’re in that space.
“There will always be the few people who think they know better, and there will always be a few people that will flout whatever laws are in the country, but there has been a huge level of compliance in this country.”
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