Sinn Féin Seanadóir Elisha McCallion has said it’s unacceptable that workers living in the north who work in the south and lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 crisis are being left without support by the Irish Government. 

Elisha McCallion said: 

“We are now weeks into necessary measures being taken to stop the spread of Covid-19 across the island. 

“This is a difficult time for all of us, but particularly for workers and families who lost their jobs as a result of this crisis. 

“It’s unacceptable that people – who work and pay taxes in the south – are being left without support by the Irish Government. 

“More confusion was created last week where the Department of Social Protection instructed workers, including people in the north, who were successful for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to pay it back as it was granted in error. 

“The Irish Government should do the right thing and extend this payment to cross border workers living in the north.”