Pearse Doherty has written to the Minister for Finance outlining his party’s proposals for an Income Support Scheme and other measures to respond to the economic fallout from the Covid-19 outbreak.
Sinn Féin’s Finance spokesperson said it is also time to move to the next phase of physical distancing, including the closure of all non-essential services.
He said the response of Government to date has been totally inadequate and thousands of people have lost their jobs with little income support.
The Sinn Féin proposals include the establishment of an Income Support Scheme that would protect all workers, and that would guarantee 100% of earnings for workers with annual earnings of up to €32,500.
These payments would be distributed through their employers’ payroll, and would allow employer top-ups to supplement workers’ incomes.
The scheme would also provide support for the self-employed, those working in the gig economy and independent contractors; allowing them to report themselves as idle and receive Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and then Jobseekers’ Benefit based on declared income of the prior year, up to a maximum of €525 per week.
