Sinn Féin wants Barry Cowen to address Dáil again; Calls for Covid-19 supports to be extended
Sinn Féin are calling on the government to continue the €350 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and the Temporary Wage Scheme to be extended until at least the end of the year.
Sinn Féin's Business Spokesperson, Louise O'Reilly, said it would give people certainty until Christmas.
Ms O'Reilly said: "We will continue on for a couple of weeks, that's not what people are telling us they need.
"We say they should continue where it is necessary up until Christmas and we are hopeful that the government have been listening to those calls not just from Sinn Féin but from others to continue that,
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"So people can have the certainty that they need to get back up and running."
The TD's comments come as the Department for Social Protection reported the number of people claiming the Government’s Covid-19 payment has fallen by over 67,000 – the largest weekly drop since the introduction of the scheme.
The Sinn Féin TD also joined those calling on Minister for Agriculture Barry Cowen to address the Dáíl for a second time about his drink driving arrest.
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The Agriculture Minister has denied trying to evade gardaí by doing a u-turn ahead of being stopped in 2016.
Minister Cowen said The Sunday Times published an "incorrect" Garda record of the incident - which has been referred to the Garda watchdog for an investigation.
Sinn Féin's Louise O Reilly says the Taoiseach should ask the Minister to answer questions in the Dáil.
Ms O'Reilly said: "I think Micheál Martin should be asking him[Barry Cowan] at this stage that he would come in and answer those questions.
"Because he has said he wants to draw a line under it, the Taoiseach says he wants to draw a line under it.
"Clearly a line hasn't been drawn under it we are still talking about it."
