Stay In, Stay Alive

Unemployed workers to get €350 a week Ban on more than four people being together 500,000 out of work in bid to stop Covid-19

- Ferghal Blaney

Half a million people are heading for the dole queues in the fight to beat coronavirus.

Ireland is in virtual lockdown after the Government’s newest restrictions to hopefully defeat Covid-19 kicked in at midnight.

All non-essential businesses are shuttered and a draconian ban on more than four people gathering in public together is now in place.

Sporting events are completely gone and public parks and spaces will be patrolled by gardai to keep people apart.

Workers’ wages are set to be decimated and the Government has announced another multibillion-euro package that will give everybody at least €350 a week for three months

But the economy is going to take a hammering in the ensuing battle, with previous estimates of 400,000 unemployed now conceded by the Government to be “a conservative estimate”.

Announcing the latest emergency measures, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: “Four years ago we commemorated the heroism of 1916, I never believed we’d be called upon to match their courage, but today we are.”

Immediate relief for workers and businesses were announced last night.