Page 3 - Irish Examiner USA

newsexaminer 3

A smartphone
app aimed at tracking the Martin Says That Those IRISH
spread of coronavirus is
set to be launched in
Northern Ireland “immi- Receiving Covid Payments EXAMINER
nently”.
The Minister of Health
Robin Swann told the Should Be Looking For Work |
Stormont Assembly that July
the app will help to break eople receiving the 29th,
transmission chains and pandemic unemploy- “The pandemic unemployment
reduce the reproductive Pment payment (PUP) 2020
rate of Covid-19. should be looking for is going on until next
He said it will be “inter- work, Taoiseach Micheal
operable” with the equiv- Martin has said. March, I think people on
alent app in the Republic , On Sunday the
and is also “highly likely” Department of Social the payment should seek
to be compatible with Protection confirmed that
apps introduced in future 104 cases of PUP have been work while they’re on the
across the UK and stopped, as a result of checks
Europe. carried out at airports. pandemic unemployment
“This will be the first The department said that
instance of such a solution if someone went on holiday payment and many are.”
worldwide and we’ll be abroad they would have to
the first example of such quarantine for two weeks
when they return, which
apps operating in an would affect their ability to
interoperable manner,” look for work.
he told MLAs. Mr Martin said: “The pan-
“The Stop Covid NI app demic unemployment is
is due to go live imminent- going on until next March, I
ly but the date that it will think people on the payment
be released for download should seek work while
will be subject to the they’re on the pandemic
review process undertak- unemployment payment and
en by the (Apple) App many are.
Store and Google Play. “Many people are getting
“The app was designed employment hence the num-
using the Information bers are coming down in the two-week quarantine Harris said no-one should be Liberties executive director
Commissioner Office’s recent months. when they return,” she told travelling abroad on holiday, Liam Herrick said the checks
privacy by design princi- “They should seek work RTÉ radio. whether they receive the on passengers, to establish if
ples and therefore uses and I think that is happening She said: “The point is, if payment or not. they were in receipt of the
“I would say, as a former
only anonymized infor- in the economy… as a gener- you’re on the unemployment health minister, that my PUP weekly payment of up
al rule of thumb, we want
to 350 euro, may be discrimi-
benefit at this point in time,
mation in its operation. people to come off the and if you don’t have a job to most important advice to natory.
“I would appeal to all Pandemic Unemployment go to, then you should be people, whether you’re on “It’s just advice for one
members to encourage Payment on a progressive actively looking for other the Pandemic section of the population, but
their constituents to down- basis.” work.” Unemployment Payment or it actually has the force of
load the app. If we can Earlier, Social Protection Ms Humphreys said any- not – you should not be law for another section –
get significant numbers to Minister Heather one who is in receipt of the going abroad right now. those that are dependent on
download it, it will play Humphreys defended the PUP, and who is found to be “I think that is a message social welfare payments,” Mr
an important part in aug- Government’s decision to travelling for essential rea- that we can’t say enough, we Herrick told RTE radio.
menting the existing con- stop social welfare payments sons, will continue to receive have made really good He added: “It has changed
tact tracing processes in for those who have traveled the payment. progress together in relation the definition of what is an
our efforts to stop the abroad for non-essential pur- “In the case of some sec- to Covid-19. allowable holiday.”
spread of Covid-19.” poses. tors, for example if you work “Rather than getting down Meanwhile, Dublin
Mr Swann also Ms Humphreys reiterated in a pub, we are hoping that the rabbit hole of whether Airport said on Monday that
announced that from public health advice not to you will be able to go back to you are on the PUP or not – I it does not collect data about
August 3, rolling Covid- travel abroad except for your job, so you don’t have don’t want to see anybody any passengers.
It tweeted: “For the avoid-
19 testing will commence essential reasons. to be looking for work in that going to an airport and going ance of doubt, we can con-
“The public travel advice
situation.
on a foreign holiday this
in care homes which do is to not travel abroad, and “But if you find that year. firm that we are not sharing
not have a confirmed out- that applies to everyone. you’re going to be perma- “It is far too important passenger data with any third
break of the virus. “For example we have nently unemployed because that we keep on top of this party agencies. In fact, we
He said staff will be 340,000 public servants in the your job isn’t there, then you virus and get our kids back to have no access to such pas-
tested fortnightly and res- country, and if any one of should be looking for work.” school and get them back senger data. We cannot com-
idents on a monthly those chose to travel abroad, Minister for Further and open at the end of August.” ment on the actions of any
basis. C they would not be paid for Higher Education Simon Irish Council for Civil third party agencies.” C

C www.irishexaminerusa.com C