Locals who can’t work because they’ve to mind kids at home during Covid-19 can claim benefit

Locals who can’t work because they have to stay home to mind their kids can now claim the Covid19 unemployment benefit.

It had been thought that because they weren’t sick themselves and their workplace hadn’t officially closed that they didn’t qualify for the 350 Euro payment.

But Sarah Drea from the Carlow Kilkenny Citizens’ Information Bureau says that has changed since she was first asked about it on The Way It Is.

She said ” People who cannot work because they’re caring for their children during the pandemic can apply for the pandemic unemployment Payment”

She added “It was a question that came in on The Way It Is programme last week and that time I would have said ‘no’ people can’t but I’m saying today they can”.