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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions

Reopening supports for workers and business

Summary

Deputy O'Reilly warns that many workers and businesses remain anxious about the 1 July reopening and urges direct engagement with unions and industry. The Tánaiste says he will meet business and union representatives and that the CRSS support will stay in place for closed or severely restricted firms.

The Tánaiste said most businesses will open. Most will, but some will not. Most workers who were in work in March 2020 will go back, which is fair enough, but some of them will not. Those workers are absolutely terrified by the date of 1 July because they do not know what is coming. We should bear in mind that many of these workers were doing the kind of work, facilitated by the Government, that meant they were not in a position to have savings. If they had savings, they have been depleted. I urge the Tánaiste to engage directly with worker and industry representatives when formulating the plan, not in big forums but on a one-to-one basis, so that he can hear directly what supports they need.

I urge him to consider flexibility around the CRSS scheme because it is a lifeline for workers and businesses in terms of keeping them going. They need a level of certainty. I welcome the fact that there will be a plan in May but, as matters stand today, can the Tánaiste commit to a period of real and meaningful engagement with these people, specifically workers' representatives?

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Leo Varadkar The Tánaiste Fine Gael

I thank the Deputy. I can give her an assurance that I will do exactly that. I will be speaking to business organisations this evening, after the Cabinet meeting. I will be meeting, in small-group format, as I often do, with the Labour Employer Economic Forum, which comprises unions and employers, next week. There will be detailed engagement with unions and employers over the next couple of days.

The CRSS scheme, which is a weekly grant for businesses that are closed, will remain in place until businesses reopen. It will also remain in place if a business is trading at significantly reduced capacity. For example, many restaurants and pubs that might be able to open outdoors in June will still be able to avail of the payment because their trading will be so restricted by the rules that will be in place. As the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, and the Taoiseach always say, there will be no cliff edge at the end of June. There will be no rapid withdrawal of financial supports. We know they need to continue and that our economy has a better chance of bouncing back if they continue.

We also need to be honest with people, however. This is borrowed money from the ECB, banks, bondholders and from those some people wanted to burn not too long ago. Thankfully, we are able to borrow that money but it has to be refinanced.

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