Briefing on the government's response to COVID-19 - Wednesday 29 July 2020

Delivered by Elizabeth Canavan, Assistant Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach

Good morning everyone,

At this stage we’re all carefully watching the progression of the virus. We’re all hoping for good news each day and each week, hoping to see an improvement in confirmed cases. We want to see that our collective and individual actions have been successful. We all have our part to play in that effort.

It’s vital that we avoid becoming complacent. Most of us have settled into routines of once again seeing our friends, colleagues and families and in some ways it would be easy to think that everything has returned to normal but we need to remember that that’s not the case.

The virus hasn’t gone away. We have to keep up with all of the habits we have learned since March if we want to keep the disease at bay.

So, while we can now meet up with our friends and loved ones again and while many of us have returned to work and are once again seeing our colleagues each day, we still need to ensure that where possible, we keep a safe distance of 2 metres from the people around us. This is one of the fundamental ways that we can protect ourselves and each other and prevent the spread of the virus.

And I am sure we are all familiar with the other ways in which we prevent the spread of the virus but I’ll say them anyway:

• wash your hands regularly and thoroughly – especially after you have been out and about or in and out of other peoples’ homes or businesses
• continue to observe good cough and sneeze etiquette
• continue to try to keep your social interactions to a minimum to limit the amount of contacts that you have
• wear face coverings, on public transport, in shops and shopping centres, and in all indoor settings where social distancing is difficult
• maintain social distancing and remember to exercise judgement about where you spend time – keep in mind that is a place doesn’t seem safe it probably isn’t safe

Finally, you need to know the symptoms. If you are feeling unwell, if you have a high temperature, if you have a cough of any description, if you feel short of breath or if you feel that you have had a change in your taste or your smell, you need to notify your GP so that they can arrange testing for you. Remember that testing isn’t just about you. It’s about the people around you. The people you have been in contact with some of whom may be much more vulnerable to the disease than you are. They may be people you don’t even know that you were close to in a public place.

That’s why the COVID Tracker App is another tool in our toolbox. Contact tracing is one of the vital measures that will allow us to contain the virus. The COVID Tracker App is a very important enhancement to our contact tracing service.

To date 105 people have been alerted by the app that they have been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19. If you’ve been in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 the app sends you a close contact alert. If you provide your phone number the HSE will then contact you to give you advice and refer you for testing if appropriate.

Making the app available in global App and Play stores last week now means that anyone living and working in Ireland that has a Google or Apple account in another country can now download the app and play their part in helping to suppress the virus. It also makes it possible for people visiting Ireland to use it while they are here to protect others. Information is being displayed at Dublin Airport to promote the app.

We need to do all we can to tackle the virus and downloading the app is part of that. We are delighted that nearly 1.45 million people have joined in and downloaded the app. If you haven’t downloaded it yet we would urge you to do so. Or if you know someone who may need help in downloading the app or learning how to use it consider giving them a hand!

Over 68,700 employers are now registered with Revenue for the TWSS.

An estimated 400,000 employees are currently being supported by the scheme having received a subsidy in their most recent pay period.

Today (29 July), Revenue has generated further payments to employers under the scheme of €32 million.

The cumulative value of payments made to employers under the scheme is now over €2.2 billion (€2,285 million).

This week, approx. 286,900 people who were unemployed last week received their weekly payment under the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment scheme.

This is a reduction of approx. 26,900 on the number of people paid last week. The overall value of the weekly payment is in the region of €89 million.

Since the start of the reopening, approx. 272,000 people have closed their claim as they have returned to work.

If you are returning to work you should close your claim on the day of your return. To close your unemployment claim, you should click here.

There has been a lot of commentary and confusion around the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week and I would like to shed some light on the way the payment has developed since its inception.

In March this year in recognition of the impact the national lockdown measures would have on a huge amount of people the PUP was put in place as an emergency income support for all person who had been working in the previous week with no other conditions attached.

In the initial weeks of the new payment there was no question of recipients travelling abroad. The whole country was effectively in lockdown and at its peak on 5 May, 598,000 people were in receipt of PUP.

While there was flexibility in place around holiday periods for people receiving jobseeker's payments, in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic, it was not considered appropriate to retain those flexibility arrangements from March onwards, given the strong public health advice cautioning against all foreign travel.

However, it was agreed that in the event of an emergency such as the requirement to travel abroad because of a family issue, for example a bereavement, that payment of PUP would continue.

When the PUP was first announced it was given a timeframe of 12 weeks - of course, since then it has been extended. On 23 July, the government announced that payment of PUP would be extended until July 2021 with some modifications to the rate bands. The scheme was no longer an emergency income support scheme and became more aligned with the jobseeker's schemes. As such the legislative provision allowing for the extension of PUP, which was published on Wednesday 22 July, contains eligibility requirements including the need to be Genuinely Seeking Work.

There continues to be a strong take-up of measures to assist businesses during the pandemic.

Applications for the Restart Grant are at 44,932 with 33,777 of these approved, resulting in over €139 million in grant payments being made to small businesses.

The Trading Online Voucher Scheme, operated through the Local Enterprise Office network, has now exceeded 8,000 applications, with 5,189 approvals made to a value of €12.3 million.

In addition a number of new support measures were announced last week as part of the July Stimulus.

The top priority throughout the COVID-19 crisis has been the wellbeing and safety of the people and communities across Ireland. A key part of that wellbeing is our ability to get back to work, get back to school, get back to some sense of normality. To help us to do that fast, a stimulus package worth over €7 billion was announced last week, representing the largest ever cash injection into the economy in Irish history. The scale of the package reflects the enormous impact that COVID-19 has had on every business, every family in the country.

The July Stimulus package entails 50 individual measures designed to collectively address every significant area of economic activity in Ireland and its impact will be seen across every sector over the coming year. It is designed not only to create and support jobs and education but to build confidence that not only will we emerge from this crisis but we will do it with an economy prepared for the future.

Implementation of the package will begin immediately so that its benefits can be felt without delay.

The Community Call Fora, run by the local authorities, continue to provide help and support to those in need in communities around the country. Last week, they received approximately 270 calls nationally, and made approximately 100 follow-up calls to people who have contacted them.

Nationally, since 31 March, the Community Call Fora have received approximately 53,000 calls and have made approximately 21,000 follow-up calls.

The number of contacts to the Community Call Fora has reduced in recent weeks, but the Fora helplines will continue to operate for those who need them. Helplines operate from 9am to 5pm seven days a week.

You can find your local helpline number here.

Pressures on renters have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen approximately, 6,700 tenants provided with Rent Supplement support with an additional 1,100 applications pending at the end of June 2020.

This week the government have put forward a new piece of draft legislation which is intended to replace the current emergency ban on evictions and rent increases which was introduced in March to ensure that tenants and landlords were able to comply with public health guidance throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The economic hardship and financial difficulties being experienced by many tenants as a result of COVID-19 is recognised by Government. The intention of the bill is that there will be protections for tenants who are availing of supports such as the PUP, TWSS, or Rent Supplement among other payments. Rent increases will be prohibited for tenants who make a declaration that they are receiving these payments and are experiencing difficulty with rent payment until 10 January 2021.

In addition, the notice period associated with tenancy termination will be increased from the current 28 day notice to 90 days notice until 10 January 2021.

A number of long term measures have also been proposed - including the facilitation of earlier renter engagement with the Residential Tenancies Board and the building in of safeguards at the termination stage to minimise the risk of abuse of this provision.

The legislation is being dealt with by the Houses of the Oireachtas this week.

I also want to remind you that anybody who has lost their job as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and is struggling to pay their rent should apply for the rent supplement. More information on how to apply can be found here.

For many people with a disability, COVID-19 has been a very difficult time as they will not have had access to their local clubs, outdoor amenities, coaches, training facilities and equipment. As sport and activity facilities continue to reopen, it is important to consider the safe return to sport for people with disabilities.

Similarly, the experiences for some older people of cocooning this year have been linked to increased anxiety, nervousness, loss of confidence, feelings of exclusion, loss of physical activity related social contact and physical deconditioning. This in turn has created significant barriers to the resumption of physical activity for these people.

In response to these problems Sport Ireland has this week published two guidance documents to support the return to sport by older adults and people with disabilities.

The documents provide practical guidance and considerations when planning programmes. These documents have been produced with the support of Age & Opportunity and Cara, who conducted extensive consultation within their respective sectors

We all want to see older people and people with disabilities come back to sport and physical activity. Hopefully this new guidance will help inform, encourage, build confidence and in particular reassure people as they return to a more active lifestyle

Links to these guidance documents can be found on gov.ie.

The COVID-19 Stability Fund for Community and Voluntary, Charity and Social Enterprises was designed to support community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises that are experiencing difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Monday this week, additional funding of €4.1 million euro was announced to be directed to over 101 organisations under the second tranche of that Fund.

Once-off cash injections of between €2,000 and €200,000 are being awarded to qualifying organisations that provide critical services to those most vulnerable in society.

The organisations selected work in a diverse range of areas and support vulnerable people from every spectrum of society. Organisations being supported in this round of funding include: Empowerment Plus, Navan Travellers Workshops Company, Little Lifetime Foundation, the Kerry Rape & Sexual Abuse Centre among many more.

On Monday this week Government announced the details of a Roadmap to Reopening Schools in late August/early September as per the normal school year calendar. The roadmap sets out clear plans and practical guidance on the measures schools will need to take to ensure that they can reopen in a safe and orderly way ensuring the security and wellbeing of everyone in the education community - students of all ages, everyone working in the school community and of course parents.

A funding package of €375 million to help schools prepare for reopening was also announced. This funding is being made available in recognition that COVID-19 poses significant challenges to schools in regards to staffing, supervision, safety and wellbeing. It includes plans additional teaching posts at post-primary level, along with guidance posts to support student wellbeing.

Additional provisions are also being made for special schools and special classes, recognising the additional measures that schools may be required to take to support them.

We know this will come as a great relief to students, parents and teachers across the country who will have been anxious to know that there will be some return to normality for children and young people who have been greatly impacted by this crisis.

It has been a very challenging time for everyone. And the implementation of the Education roadmap is also going to require intensive work and collaboration over the coming weeks.

We know the impact on children, young people and their families in the absence of the social life, structure and support of school.

Staying on track in terms of the disease to ensure that schools can reopen safely is our top priority.

As part of Monday’s announcement on reopening schools, the School Transport Scheme services operated by Bus Éireann on behalf of the department will fully operate as normal, in line with public health advice when schools reopen for the 2020/2021 school year.

The option to make payment for school transport services has been available since 16 June.

Given the exceptional circumstances it has been agreed to extend the closing date for payment to 4 August 2020. Families wishing to avail of transport for the 2020/2021 year are advised to make payment by this date.

Links to where to make Payment can be found on here.

As previously announced the Leaving certificate calculated grades results will be issued on 7 September directly to students through the Calculated Grades Student Portal.

To receive calculated grades, students must register on the portal and opt in to receive calculated grades.

Over 98 per cent of Leaving Certificate students and 90 per cent of Leaving Certificate Applied students that registered on the portal have now opted in to receive calculates grades.

The portal will remain open until 7 August to allow remaining students the time to register and opt to receive calculated grades and the CGEO will continue to follow up with these students.

It has been announced that an agreement has been reached with Dutch higher education institutions that will allow Leaving Certificate students receiving their Calculated Grades results on 7 September to register to enter higher education in the Netherlands for the 2020/21 academic year.

The university registration date in the Netherlands is 31 August 2020 but Irish students will be able to register after the 7 September date of release of Calculated Grades results.

While students may miss the orientation period or the first classes in college, this will not hinder them in their further studies in the Netherlands.

Every year approximately 500 Irish students travel to higher education institutions in the Netherlands.

Students seeking a higher education place in the Netherlands, if they have not already done so, should contact the admissions office in the institution they wish to attend and explain the change in the timetable for results in Ireland, arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now back to something I’ve mentioned before.

While reported incidents of fraud overall have decreased during lockdown, there has been an increase in cyber-enabled fraud.

As always fraudsters are up to date with the latest demands in particular, An Garda Síochána are asking the public to be aware of possible staycation scams, particularly in relation to accommodation fraud and the fraudulent selling of goods.

Accommodation fraud has occurred where consumers have paid deposits on properties advertised online or on sites such as Airbnb. Often the property does not exist, or deposits for the same period are taken from multiple people, or the person advertising the property and taking the deposit is not entitled to sublet it. In these instances consumers may have visited a totally false or cloned website.

There have also been cases where goods have been offered for sale and paid for, but not delivered. In particular, An Garda Síochána is highlighting a current issue around the purchase of camper vans, caravans, and speed boats from sites in the UK where deposits / full payment up front have been made into UK bank accounts and consumers never receive their goods. Again these are often due to cloned websites.

So here are An Garda Síochána's top tips to protect yourself and your family from cyber enabled fraud:

• only use secure sites - make sure you are on the real site – check the URL and look for the trust seals
• where booking accommodation, research the proposed property – check the photos and check the location on Google Maps
• know the website’s policy on refunds and know your consumer rights. They are protected if proper site used
• check a website’s privacy policy, refunds policy and contact us section
• check for poor English and spelling or grammar mistakes
• use an online payment option such as PayPal, which helps to protect you
• never purchase through social media or where the ‘offer’ came to you via social media
• check the IBAN of where you are sending the money. A good indicator of fraud is if the bank you are paying into is in a different country to where the proposed location of the seller / goods are – The country and address of IBANs can easily be checked through any search engine
• be cautious around payment methods – payment should always be by credit card. Never transfer money directly or pay cash
• never send confidential personal or financial information by email or give away your banking codes / passwords

If the offer sounds too good to be true then it probably is.

All incidents of potential fraud should be reported to An Garda Síochána.

We are conscious that due to COVID-19 and the related restrictions, this year has been an extremely difficult one for people who have experienced a bereavement. The need to respect the dignity and sensitivity of such experiences, while adhering to necessary public health advice, has been at the forefront of our concerns throughout this crisis.

I want to highlight that in light of current restrictions on mass gatherings and the requirement for physical distancing, it is still the case that public reposals and gatherings at funeral homes are not permitted. For the protection of all involved only members of the deceased person’s household, close family members and close friends should attend. The wearing of face coverings is strongly recommended for such indoor settings.

You should keep in mind the advice to limit the number of visitors to a private house, to pay their respects. Ideally this should be limited to a maximum of 10 , no more than 4 other households. Applying these guidelines is very tough for families, we know that, but we would ask you to be safe and keep your loved ones safe by remembering all the advice.

A detailed Guide for the Bereaved during COVID-19 has been updated and is available here.

Thank you.