Brendan Smith demands pandemic support for over-66 workers
Brendan Smith spoke on 20 May 2020, praising departmental staff and urging that pandemic payments include workers over 66 and people on reduced contributory pensions. He argued those who lost employment income should receive a supplement to bring payments up to the value of the pandemic unemployment payment and raised concerns about cross-border workers being excluded.
Praise for department staff
He complimented staff in the offices of the department throughout Cavan and Monaghan and in the regional office in Dundalk for dealing efficiently with a huge workload in challenging circumstances and for getting payments out rapidly to many people.
Inclusion of workers over 66
He called for workers over the age of 66 who meet other conditions to be included in any Covid-related payment, noting that governments have encouraged older persons to stay in the workforce beyond pension age and that some were working part-time or running small businesses before losing income.
Supplement for reduced contributory pensions
He argued it is "utterly wrong" that people on reduced contributory pensions who lost employment income do not receive a supplement. He urged that such reduced contributory payments should be supplemented and brought up to the value of the pandemic unemployment payment, and noted changes in pension assessment introduced in 2012 had left some with reduced entitlements.
Rural businesses and employer-employee links
He highlighted that many of these workers provided services through small shops critical to rural communities and that employees are often vital to the running and success of small businesses. He said retaining the link between employers and employees was important and that payments could be supplemented, at least temporarily.
Cross-border workers' exclusion
He reiterated previous representations about the perceived unjust administration of the scheme where cross-border workers were not entitled to the pandemic unemployment payment here. He said people who travel daily north and south for work felt aggrieved to be paying taxes here yet not eligible for payments during the crisis.
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First of all I want to compliment the staff in the offices of the department throughout Cavanagh and Monaghan indeed and also in the regional office in Dundalk on their dealing so efficiently with a huge workload in challenging circumstances. Indeed from the outset officials showed their determination to process applications as quickly as possible and they were very conscious of the sudden and changed circumstances for so many families and I take this opportunity to compliment them on getting payments out very rapidly and efficiently to so many people who needed them at those particular times and it's extremely important at a time when a substantial cohort of our population is receiving some or all of their income from the state. Weeks ago Minister I raised through direct representation to yourself and also through Covid queries the need to include workers over the age of 66 in any Covid related payment if they met the other conditions and we've listened to different governments encourage older persons as Deputy O'Dease said to stay on in the workforce for longer than pension age if possible. Well I've had instances of people on reduced contributory pensions working maybe part-time or running small businesses and losing that income I believe it is utterly wrong that they do not in present circumstances receive a supplement to their existing reduced contributory pension. Some have had small businesses with ongoing costs and no income from the business and they find themselves in difficult circumstances and many of them are on reduced pension because of the changes to the assessment of entitlement contributory pension the changes were brought in 2012. In many instances these people were providing services through small shops which would otherwise not be available in many rural communities. People I believe on a contributory pension and who lost their employment income should receive a supplementary payment to bring them up to the value of the pandemic unemployment payment. In many instances for small businesses such employees are critical to the ongoing running efficiency and success of the success of the business. The government quite rightly set out that they wanted to retain the link between employers and employees and I think it's very important that at this time and hopefully it's not for the long term that such payments could be supplemented. Such reduced contributory payments should be supplemented and brought up to the value of the PUP. Minister I raised with you previously I believe the unjust administration of the scheme on the basis that cross-border workers were not entitled to the pandemic unemployment payment here. The two counties that I have the privilege of representing we have the privilege of representing we have a huge movement of people on a daily basis going north going south for work and those people feel very aggrieved to pay their taxes here that they weren't entitled to any payments during this particular time. Thank you.
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