Government introduces sweeping new restrictions in fresh wave of Covid-19 business closures
The Government is to introduce sweeping new closures of certain businesses in a fresh wave of Covid-19 restrictions, the Taoiseach announced this afternoon.
These include gyms, hairdressers and restaurants who are not offering takeaway or delivery services.
Schools will also remain closed while all non-essential travel will also be restricted and you will only be allowed to leave your home for certain reasons such as going to work or the supermarkets.
The Taosieach added that social gatherings of no more than four people are allowed unless all are from the same household.
Mr Varadkar also said that non-essential indoor visits should be avoided.
Meanwhile, the Government is to increase the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Support payment for people who have been laid-off due to the virus from €203 to €350.
The payment will also apply to the self-employed affected by the virus.
However, people who are already unemployed due to reasons other than Covid-19 will remain on the usual Jobseekers’ Benefit of €203.
The cabinet has also approved an emergency wage subsidy scheme under which the Government will pay 70% of a workers salary up to a cap of €410 per week net – equivalent to the after tax income of a worker on around €38,000.
Workers earning between €38,000 and €76,000 will be entitled to assistance capped at €350, while workers earning above €76,000 will be excluded from the scheme.
The scheme costing an estimated €3.7 billion will initially run for 12 weeks, and employers will be free to top-up the government’s element of the salary.
More to follow.
