UCD Geary Seminar Series: Covid-19 and the Irish Welfare System

COVID-19 had a significant negative effect on incomes in Ireland due to widespread job losses as the measures put in place to slow the spread of the disease resulted in severe economic restrictions. Despite the existence of unemployment supports, significant additional income supports were introduced to protect incomes. As we face the withdrawal of such supports as public health restrictions lift and the economy recovers, we examine these supports and the role they played in supporting incomes. By profiling those who benefitted the most from the new schemes, we highlight the groups most at risk of significant income losses as they wind down. We consider what gaps in the social welfare system necessitated the introduction of such schemes in the first place along with potential future policy changes to ensure the social welfare system can provide adequate income protection and financial incentives to work as we emerge from the COVID-19 crisis.

The seminar is part of the UCD Geary Institute for Public Policy's seminar series.