Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey has called on the Irish and British Governments to increase efforts to assist citizens returning to the island from various parts of the globe.
The West Belfast MP said:
“Over the course of the last week I have been dealing with various different cases of Irish and British citizens being stranded abroad and unable to return home, including many in Australia.
“I have been in constant contact with the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and British Foreign Office throughout this period of time.
“With increased flight restrictions and flight cancellations, citizens are finding it increasingly difficult to return home.
“I welcome that the Irish Government has issued some new guidelines to help citizens returning home and today helped 170 people to return home.
“These guidelines include the establishment of a register that will be used to advise Irish citizens returning home and alternative flight arrangements.
“I would encourage citizens to read and follow these guidelines.
“But both the Irish and British Governments must do much more and take a more proactive approach to assisting citizens.
“This is a time of great fear and anxiety for families as COVID19 continues to spread, the additional burden of being stranded abroad should not be placed on them.
“I will continue to lobby both the Irish and British Governments on this issue.”
PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK FOR NEW GUIDELINES FOR IRISH CITIZENS
Below is the address of Sinn Féin deputy Dáil leader Pearse Doherty TD to the Dáil on the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Bill 2020:
I want to begin this morning by expressing my deepest sympathies with the families and friends of the two further people it was announced last night have lost their lives here as a result of Covid-19. All of us here need to work together to try and minimise and stop more of same tragedies in the coming period.
I want to pay tribute to our health workers - those on the frontlines in fight against Covid-19. Their courage, their selflessness and their dedication is both an inspiration and a comfort to the nation. These are trying times, but to each and every one of them I say - you have our gratitude, our support and our solidarity.
Beyond expressions of support, we have to make sure that our health workers have everything they need to do the jobs.We need to ensure that we utilise all available capacity within our health system, that we have sufficient ventilators and respiratory equipment, sufficient beds (including ICU beds), and that our frontline workers are protected.
The lack of protective equipment for health workers, carers and others is a cause of very real concern. We know that some frontline workers are taking to the internet to seek out resources and the government have stated that home help workers don’t need PPE. This cannot stand and we need action on PPE now.
I would urge any companies or individuals who have stocks of different PPE items to them available to health workers, and, I call on the pharmaceutical and food processing industries to donate any PPE equipment they can.Along with the arrival of imported PPE, attempts must also be made to ensure we have a reliable, domestic production line of various PPE items to protect our supply chain in case of external difficulties and guarantee our health staff have the protective equipment they need. That is essential.
The changed criteria in respect of Covid-19 testing is causing alarm - not just for patients but it has put huge pressure on GPs who are contacting patients to tell them their tests are now cancelled. There must be clearer communication when case definition changes so that confusion and panic can be avoided.
The Bill before us today is just one more part of a series of things that need to be done to ensure we keep our citizens safe.
Absolutely everything we do right now must prioritise the welfare and the health of our citizens.
This is not a time for delay. It is a time for decisive action.
Every worker and family must be protected and supported throughout this crisis; however long it lasts. Unfortunately, this is not currently the case - despite the government’s announcement on Tuesday.
Today and yesterday, tens of thousands of people left their families and went to workplaces where they’re not safe.
They are coming home in the evening with the fear of possibly transmitting the virus to their families.
They are builders, factory workers and those working in call centres and many more
The nature of their work doesn’t allow for safe physical distancing.
I was contacted by the wife of a construction worker who I believe best sums up the dread that these families are currently living with.
She wrote; “Me and the kids have been in all week and my husband has to go out to work every morning and risk coming back to his family. It’s a disgrace. Something needs to be done.”
I have received many more similar messages. Nobody should be living with the feeling that they and their children are being exposed to unnecessary and avoidable risk. It is for this reason that everything other than essential businesses and services should be put into suspension for a period, and we need to see further action in this regard.
This can be done. These workers can be sent home. They can be kept safe and they can be supported.
To do that, we need a proper Income Support Scheme.
Sinn Féin have proposed a model that would guarantee 100% of income up to €525 a week for workers and the self-employed who are laid off due to this crisis.
The government’s proposal comes nowhere close to that and does not go far enough.
These are people who have mortgages, rents and bills to pay.
€350 falls well short of what is needed to support workers and their families who have been laid off at this time.
In respect of those who are “kept on the books”, we are fully supportive of a scheme to support employers who are trying to keep going, but this must be targeted and not open to abuse.
Employers should have to make up the rest of the 30% of workers’ salaries. Under the government’s proposal, employers can pay just one cent towards their employees pay and still avail of this scheme. That’s not good enough.
I am glad that the government has taken on Sinn Féin’s proposal to prohibit rent increases.
However, much more needs to done to protect renters during this emergency. Renters who do not have an tenancy agreement must also be covered and we must include provisions to ensure that people do not rack up a crushing level of debt in rent arrears.
Here is the solution - a real mortgage moratorium for the landlords of renters who are unable to pay their rent and in turn, tenants must get real rent reductions and rent waivers.
The government must demand that the Central Bank and the banks play their part in making this happen. One clear action the banks could take is to waive the payment of mortgage interest for the duration of the crisis.
The government cannot allow banks profit from this public health emergency - as they plan to do.
We bailed them out over a decade ago, and now they need to play their part in making sure workers and families are supported.
We will be putting forward amendments in this regard and we are asking the other parties to support them.
The Coronavirus outbreak has challenged our nation in an unprecedented and profound way.
The phrase “Ní neart go cur le chéile” – there is no strength without unity – has been used a lot over the last few weeks.
To really understand the power and the meaning of the phrase, we only have to look at how our communities have responded to this emergency. Though there is great stress and worry, people are not only thinking about themselves and their families, they are thinking of the safety of their neighbours too.
People are out checking on the elderly and others at risk in their communities, making sure that they have enough food and helping with any difficulties they might be facing. Volunteers are delivering care packages, making friendly phone-calls and even organising outdoor bingo events.
There is an enormous amount of goodwill, generosity, selflessness and community spirit in our country.
These qualities are proving to be some of our biggest strengths in the fight against Covid-19.
As a people, we have truly embraced the principle of ‘nobody is safe, unless we are all safe’ and we are all the better for it.
The distances that we are keeping between each other are not spaces of isolation, fear or loneliness.
They are lengths of compassion, kindness and solidarity.
It is how we best protect each other, how we help flatten the curve and how we ensure our health service does not become overwhelmed.
It is how we save lives.
And people need to continue what they’ve been doing. That is essential.
As we come together to battle the Coronavirus, we must ensure that the Dáil sits throughout this crisis.
We need solidarity in here, but we also need scrutiny and accountability.
We need to ensure that government works and that we are holding key sectors; such as banking and insurance to account.
We must also look to life after the emergency.
The people voted for a new government last month and a new government must be formed.
Whilst there has, naturally, been a scaling down of talks in that regard, at some stage soon the result of the election will have to count. We cannot have a caretaker government in office indefinitely. Given the level of work to do, that timeframe is drawing ever shorter.
Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have made a virtue of the politics of exclusion and its quite an astonishing - even as we face a global pandemic and a national public health emergency - that exclusion remains their priority. I think that is a shame.
A Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil government will not deliver real and lasting change.
Politics needs to change.
A new government must reflect the demand of the people to do things differently.
This crisis has shown exactly why we need a government for change.
A single-tier national health service.
A home as a sanctuary and the right to secure roof over your head.
An economy that supports workers and families.
Real and robust social protections.
All measures that Sinn Fein was calling for long before Covid-19 entered our lives.
These developments cannot be temporary.
They cannot be rowed back once the crisis subsides.
Only a Government for Change will ensure that we do not go backwards.
Only a Government for Change will continue to put workers and families first when this emergency has passed.
Farmers need full support of state to face the disruption of Covid-19 - Chris MacManus MEP
Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus has called for the government to outline a plan for emergency support measures for farmers to cope with disruption to how the industry operates and expected price volatility that may be caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
MacManus who this month succeeded Matt Carty as MEP for the region and has been appointed a member of the EU Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, said “The closure of Marts is likely to be only the first of a number of severe challenges farmers will have to contend with as we grapple with the coronavirus.
“Marts play a vital role, particularly at this time of year. The closure of Marts will disproportionately affect family farms. Farms that do not finish cattle on a commercial scale rely heavily on the services Marts provide across the island. They rely on mart for weighing, locating buyers, and security of payment.
“However, what the government has prohibited is live auctions. There is still a significant role for mart operators to play in order to provide weighing services, locating buyers, provide security of payment, etc. I welcome the fact that so many mart operators have already shown their willingness to adapt in order to continue to support farmers.
“The farming industry can not be left to face the coming challenges alone. The government needs to outline a clear plan for how to protect the safety and livelihoods of farmers and ensure the food supply is safeguarded. Farmers should be assured of the full support of the state in order to maintain production.
“Farmers can not be left to fall between the cracks of support for workers and employers announced this week - their unique position in our economy and society needs to be recognised and accounted for.
“In a time of extreme economic uncertainty, farmers need to be assured of receiving a fair price for their produce. The government must assure farmers that they are prepared to make market interventions where necessary to protect the price of agricultural products.
“It is paramount that all available instruments at the state and EU level are mobilised to support the agriculture industry”.
ENDS
Sinn Féin MP for North Belfast John Finucane has today welcomed the consolidation of court business into four courts across the north by Lord Chief Justice Declan Morgan.
Speaking following the announcement, John Finucane said:
“I welcome the announcement by Lord Chief Justice Declan Morgan that court business has again been drastically reduced, with emergency criminal, family and civil business being dealt with only.
“These steps ensure that the safety of all of those who use our courts is paramount, whilst ensuring continued essential access to justice.
“This has been an approach I have personally been advocating as the COVID19 public health crisis continues to intensify.
“There are thousands of people that go through courts across the North on a daily basis and as well as those directly involved in court cases, we also have many civil service and security workers in buildings along with members of the legal profession.
“There is an obligation on all non-essential public services to prioritise the health and well-being of those utilising the services and the workers.”
Speaking in his constituency today, Sinn Féin TD for Sligo, Leitrim, North Roscommon and South Donegal, Martin Kenny, has called for the closure of NCT centres around the country.
Deputy Kenny said:
"While physical distancing of staff from drivers is possible in these centres, those who work there have to sit into cars which have not been thoroughly wiped down and could potentially carry Coronavirus.
"Also, people being obliged to attend for their NCT appointments have to make further journeys out of their homes to ensure that their cars are ready for testing and many have to deal with childcare too in order to attend.
"I am calling on the Taoiseach to include NCT centres in the list of non-essential premises which should be closed for the duration of this crisis. While NCT is an essential function in normal times, we are living extraordinary times and this is not as urgent as social distancing and keeping people safe.
"However, to safeguard the interests of workers in this situation, I am also calling for immediate introduction of Sinn Féin's proposal for an Income Support Scheme guaranteeing any workers that suffer income loss as a result of the pandemic 100% of net or take-home pay up to €525 per week."
Speaking on the issue, Carál Ní Chuilín said:
“As COVID19 continues to spread throughout this island, there is an urgent need for increased protections for the most vulnerable in our community.
“Homeless people, and in particular those that are sleeping rough, are particularly at risk of contracting COVID19.
“Over two weeks ago, I wrote to the House Executive on their COVID19 contingency plans regarding support for people sleeping on the streets.
“As of yet, I have not received any correspondence on this matter. This is entirely unacceptable.
“We have dozens of homeless people continuing to sleep rough on the streets of Belfast and indeed across the North amidst a public health emergency – this cannot continue.
“There must be no further delay in the implementation of a COVID19 contingency plan to protect the health and well-being of homeless people.
“I will be making immediate contact with the Housing Executive to request urgent action on this issue.”
The marketing behaviours and business practices of moneylending companies during the Covid-19 pandemic have been called into question by Dublin South Central Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh.
Teachta Ó Snodaigh said:
“I have been contacted by a number of community groups and social poverty NGOs who have advised that certain moneylending companies are blatantly targeting certain societal groups and locations during the Covid-19 pandemic at a time when many families are facing financial hardship.
“I am calling on the Central Bank to demand that they rein in these exploitative behaviours of moneylenders who need to stop pushing highly expensive credit on families that are already under huge pressure, with many people losing their jobs in the recent period.
“I encourage people to engage with their banks, credit unions, social welfare offices, MABS and voluntary groups like St. Vincent De Paul during this period to put in place arrangements or in some cases to access emergency money.
“These moneylenders that are offering easy and quick money charge interest rates of up to 187% on loans and they get vulnerable people into a never ending cycle of debt.
“The question of these moneylending companies adhering to current public health guidelines must also be asked when door-to-door knocking, face-to-face conversations at doors and leaflet dropping in targeted areas has been raised with me as taking place.
“These moneylenders need to stop these practices now and State agencies and the government need to impose restrictions immediately”.
Speaking this afternoon, Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health Louise O’Reilly TD has said that she has raised concerns around the shortage of PPE with the HSE.
She also issued a call for anyone with any Personnel Protective Equipment items to please donate them to the HSE as our frontline healthcare workers are continuing to experience equipment shortages.
Teachta O’Reilly said:
“The reality is there are ongoing PPE shortages in the health service for our frontline staff. Doctors, nurses, and ambulance personnel have all reached out to me over the past 24 hours to raise concerns about the lack of different PPE items as they go about working at the frontline of the fight against Covid-19.
“The current situation is becoming more and more difficult as we wait for supplies of PPE to arrive onshore with 26% of those affected by the Covid-19 virus being healthcare workers.
“Along with the arrival of imported PPE, attempts must also be made to ensure we have a reliable, domestic production line of various PPE items to protect our supply chain in case of external difficulties and guarantee our health staff have the protective equipment they need.
“However, in the here and now, frontline health workers are telling us there is a very real shortage of PPE.
“I would urge any companies or individuals who have stocks of different PPE items to please make them available to our frontline health workers.
“In particular, I would call on the pharmaceutical and food processing industries to donate any PPE equipment they can.
“We saw this week how the Association of Chinese Professionals in Ireland donated 10,000 surgical masks to the staff at St. James’s Hospital in a show of great generosity and kindness.
“I would call on all others, who can, to do the same.
“We are all in this together, but our health workers are not only our last line of defence, but our only line of defence. Please, let’s help them in any way we can.”
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Agriculture and Food Brian Stanley TD has called for an online system to be established as an alternative following the closure of all marts.
Speaking this afternoon, Deputy Stanley said:
"Today's closure of all livestock marts until 18th April will cause significant disruption to the agri-food sector, and I believe we need to move urgently to provide an alternative system through which farmers can sell livestock. That system must provide transparency and security of payment.
"Today, I have been in correspondence with the Beef Plan Movement and Emerald Isle Beef Producers and I have been made aware that those organisations are in the process of establishing an online app service for selling livestock.
"I am calling on the Department of Agriculture and Food to engage constructively with these two organisations to work towards a functioning online system that is secure and transparent.
"I also want to recognise the comments of the ICMSA President who outlined the important role which marts played, despite being closed, during the Foot and Mouth crisis in 2001.
"Marts have the contacts, infrastructure, equipment and payment systems in place and these should be utilised during the suspension of marts to ensure the safe trading of livestock”.
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Sinn Féin MP Órfhlaith Begley has said engineering and manufacturing firms who have had to close could help provide protective equipment for essential workers to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
The West Tyrone MP said:
"With concerns over the supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to health and social care staff and other key workers who may need it, creative solutions need to be found.
"I have been in contact with management from a number of engineering firms in the Tyrone area who have had to close temporarily as a result of the crisis.
“They have said they have stocks of items of PPE such as masks and protective clothing which may be of use.
"The companies I have spoken to would be happy to provide this equipment where it is needed in order to join others in the battle to stop the spread of COVID-19.
"I will be contacting the Department of Health and writing to the Health Minister asking him to explore how this initiative can be taken further.
"We will all have to work together in these difficult times and it is encouraging to see such ingenuity and resilience among our communities."
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Communications, Climate Action and the Environment David Cullinane TD has called on the government to step up supports for local print and broadcasting media.
He was responding to news that the Iconic Newspaper Group has had to lay off dozens of journalists, photographers and advertising staff due to a collapse in revenue.
Speaking today, Deputy Cullinane said:
“Over the last week, I have engaged directly with Minister Richard Bruton on the need for supports for local print and broadcast media. Local newspapers and radio stations are reeling from a collapse in revenue.
“I have put forward solutions to Minister Bruton aimed at providing financial support to local print and broadcasting media, including an immediate release of €5 million in funding under the Sound and Vision scheme and for government Departments to take out advertisements in local publications. This will provide much needed revenue while also aiding in disseminating important Covid-19 related information.
“I will continue to engage with the Minister in the time ahead. Local print and broadcasting media provide an extremely important service and it is vital that information is disseminated through trusted sources and that these companies are properly supported.”
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin TD has called on the government to do more to help renters who have lost work due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sinn Féin is calling for those with licences or verbal agreements to rent-a-room to be protected and for a rent reduction or rent waiver to be introduced.
Deputy Ó Broin said:
“Yesterday, the government published the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Bill 2020, and included in the Bill's 31 sections are a series of measures affecting renters.
“We welcome the publication of the Bill and if it is passed it will prevent landlords from issuing 'Notices to Quit' or to evict tenants for a minimum of three months. Landlords will also be prevented from increasing rents during this emergency period.
“Further, all existing 'Notices to Quit' and Residential Tenancies Board proceedings on such notices will be suspended. The Minister will have the power to extend these measures if the Covid-19 crisis continues.
“While welcoming these measures, I believe the Bill does not go far enough.
“I have submitted amendments to protect renters who don’t have a tenancy arrangement and who have licences or verbal agreements to rent-a-room.
“I have also submitted an amendment calling on the Minister to publish a report outlining measures that would provide for rent reductions or waivers for those in the private rented sector, who due to loss of income arising from Covid-19 restrictions have accumulated significant rent arrears during the emergency period.
“It is my hope that these amendments will receive wider support and that we can do right by renters.”
Sinn Féin MLA Martina Anderson has written to the Infrastructure Minister to alert her to measures proposed by those within the taxi sector that could assist the industry during the Coronavirus outbreak.
The Foyle MLA said:
“The taxi sector is feeling vulnerable during this period of uncertainty.
“Physical distancing is hard to adhere to within the confines of a taxi and given that people are self isolating and the new lockdown measures, business is drying up.
“Within the sector, there have been calls for pragmatic regulatory measures to be taken to help the industry during this period and I have written to the Minister for Infrastructure to alert her of these proposals.
“This includes the extension of expiring Taxi Driver licenses so large groups of drivers do not have to congregate in order to go through the training period for license renewal.
“There is a potential role for taxi drivers to play during this crises, particularly seven seater taxis with screens separating the driver from the passenger area, and those roles should be explored fully.
"Where physical distancing can be maintained, taxis could be involved in transporting medical staff to and from hospital and delivering prescriptions and food to the most in need.
“Taxi drivers provide an essential service to members of the community and cannot be left behind.”
Sinn Féin MP Francie Molloy has welcomed the announcement that the British government’s revised boundary commission proposals have been shelved.
Speaking following the announcement, Franice Molloy said:
“The proposals from the boundary commission had caused widespread anger across the nationalist community. If implemented, these proposals would have left tens of thousands of people across the north disenfranchised.
“The use of Rule 7, the so called ‘gerrymander rule’, by the British Government to go under or above the average electoral quota was extremely concerning.
“This effectively meant that not all votes would have carried the same weight.
“This is wholly unacceptable and undemocratic.
“These proposals should not just be shelved; they must be binned.
"I would also call on the Electoral Office not to conduct the removal of people from the register this year, reflecting the current public health crisis.
“It would place electoral office workers at risk to carry out a door-to-door registration or any other direct contact with the public at this time.
“There must be an evaluation of current electoral registration practices and a concentrated effort placed into finding a safer, more efficient and effective registration process.
“We cannot go back to the dark days of gerrymandering and the disenfranchisement of large swathes of the community."
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon has said recent legacy proposals only undermine and are a ploy to stall the implementation of the Stormont House legacy mechanisms.
The Mid-Ulster MLA said:
“Sinn Féin have consistently called for the legacy mechanisms agreed by the political parties and both governments and endorsed in the recent public consultation to be implemented in a human rights compliant manner.
"Some families have been waiting for up to 50 years for due process and the right to an independent and effective investigation and/or inquest. The Legacy Investigation Branch (LIB) as an internal PSNI unit cannot conduct Article 2 compliant investigations, as it lacks the requisite independence in the eyes in many families and legacy groups.
“The focus should remain on removing the toxic issue of legacy from policing and establishing the Historical Investigations Unit (HIU) to conduct effective and independent investigations for all families who require it.
“The Stormont House legacy mechanisms must be implemented in a human rights compliant manner immediately.”
Speaking following a telephone meeting with Minister Katherine Zappone, Sinn Féin Children and Youth Affairs Spokesperson Kathleen Funchion welcomed new measures announced that will provide relief during a worrying and uncertain time for providers, workers and parents.
But she also urged the minster to now move as a matter of urgency to introduce supports for frontline workers.
Deputy Funchion said: "It is very welcome that Department of Children and Youth Affairs will pay a retention top-up so that staff can receive a minimum payment of €350 and that they will pay the equivalent of 15% of staff costs to providers to cover other costs as a sustainability mechanism.
"In order for childcare facilities to avail of these measures, they need to sign a new contract with Department of Children and Youth Affairs, which includes an agreement to not charge parents fees from April 1st.
"Many parents have been faced with that difficulty in the past two weeks, so this is a move that will ease the burden on them in what is a challenging and anxious time for families.
"What we need now is real supports for frontline workers in the sector as a matter of urgency.
"We expect these to be advanced in the coming days but we are now two weeks into this situation and clarity is long over due. Our frontline workers deserve our support and need peace of mind."
Sinn Féin MLA John O'Dowd has called on all employers who still have essential workers on site to ensure physical distancing measures are in place to protect staff from the spread of COVID-19.
Speaking after workers staged a walk-out in the Craigavon area, the Upper Bann MLA said:
"In order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, all non-essential businesses and workplaces should be shut.
"Where essential services need to remain open, the safety of workers and their families is paramount.
"Owners and management of those essential service companies who still have staff on production lines need to acknowledge the dangers of COVID-19.
“They need to act responsibly by ensuring physical distance measures are in place and that steps are taken to protect these essential workers.
"Statutory bodies with responsibility for health and safety need to take action to make sure those businesses which remain open are not placing any of their workers or their families at risk."
Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín has called for student accommodation providers to show leniency and freeze rents while universities and colleges are shut to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.
Carál Ní Chuilín said:
"With colleges and universities closed as part of efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, together with many businesses where students may work, many students are worried about how they will pay for their accommodation.
"While universities themselves have said rents will be frozen, which is welcome, some student housing providers have sent letters to students demanding that rent continue to be paid.
"Some have even been told if they don't pay rents the economy will collapse and they won't be able to find jobs after graduating. Such scare tactics are unacceptable.
"We need to see action taken to support students, many of whom are already struggling and I will be raising this matter with the economy minister Diane Dodds to see if any support can be given to students in this position."
West Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan has contacted energy providers to request that flexibility be shown and a mechanism established to ensure people with pay-as-you-go gas and electricity continue to be connected.
Speaking on the issue, Pat Sheehan said:
“This is a period of great uncertainty and anxiety for people as the COVID19 crisis continues to intensify.
“Many vulnerable and older people are already self-isolating and this has made it difficult from them to access shops to top up their gas and electricity.
“While some can top up their metres online, this is not easily accessible for all everyone, particularly older people.
“With lockdown measures in place it will be extremely difficult for these citizens to top up on their gas and electric.
“I have written to energy providers to request a mechanism be established where the continuation of electricity and gas is guaranteed without the need for metres to be continuously topped up.
“Furthermore, Sinn Féin believe that all gas and electricity suppliers should rule out disconnections for those unable to pay in the current economic environment.
“Absolutely no one should carry the additional fear of going into the dark and cold.
"Access to heat and electricity is a basic right.”
Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD has said this afternoon that the government’s announcements today in respect of facilitating physical distancing and providing income support at this time of crisis ‘fall short of what is required'.
She said:
“The Covid-19 pandemic is a crisis that must be tackled head on. This requires urgent action on the part of government and the additional measures announced today fall well short of what is required.
"Workers and their families are being placed at risk because we have not moved to shut down non-essential business activity. Dragging heels is not a solution, and people are rightly looking on and want a common sense approach to this. Many employers also want this to happen and are waiting for the guidance to take this necessary step.
"Obviously, to facilitate this there needs to be urgent action taken to ensure that those who are impacted are protected financially.
"Sinn Féin’s proposals in this regard would guarantee 100% of income up to €525 a week for workers and the self-employed who are laid off due to this crisis.
"The government’s proposal today comes nowhere close to that and does not go far enough. €350 is not enough for people who have lost their jobs. They will not be able to cope, to pay their mortgage or their rent and their bills, and for an adult with an adult dependent they would already be entitled to nearly €350, so this is of very little benefit to them.
"This shows how little is being provided to those who need it most and falls well short of what is needed to support workers and their families at this time.
"I think it is disappointing that the government has chosen to drag its feet and has resisted taking the decisions that need to be taken if we are to really going to get ahead of this virus.
"We need to keep people well and save lives."
