Varadkar comments damage public buy in to public health advice
Motion to restore PUP to be heard in Dáil tomorrow
Solidarity People Before Profit have called on all parties in the Dáil to support their motion to restore the Pandemic Unemployment Payment which will be debated tomorrow in the Convection Centre at 10am.
The group also slammed Leo Varadkar’s comments against public health advice and called for him to withdraw them.
Richard Boyd Barrett TD said: “The comments last night by Leo Varadkar against the public health advice are a cynical exercise in deflection, divide and rule which threatens public health. Along with the disgraceful decision to cut the PUP for people in the teeth of a second wave of the Covid crisis, the government have exposed themselves and are in danger of eroding public buy in to the notion of social solidarity.
“The Tánaiste should withdraw these comments, apologise to the public health team and restore the PUP.”
Bríd Smith TD said: “The cuts to the PUP, along with the Tánaiste’s scandalous remarks about the public health advice, are a shocking action by this government which seriously jeopardises the buy in of the people needed to combat the Covid virus. If people can’t go to work or their income is cut due to the virus, through no fault of their own then how is it fair to cut their supports, especially as bills, rent, mortgages and the cost of living still has to be paid for.
“This motion calls on the government to reverse this callous cut to the PUP.”
Mick Barry TD said: “The Government are trying to increase the restrictions while decreasing the supports – they shouldn’t be let get away with doing this. The restrictions are increasing at midnight tonight so the supports should be increased more or less immediately. The country can afford to do this if the Government is prepared to introduce new wealth taxes in the Budget.”
Paul Murphy TD said: “We now have a second wave of Covid, and a second round of restrictions so we need a second round of supports for people losing their jobs. These are hardworking people, who have already sacrificed a lot to fight this pandemic, they can’t be abandoned by this government. The least we can do is restore the €350 payment and the evictions ban.”
