Paschal Donohoe: Time to gently remove the crutch of pandemic supports

The finance minister outlines why the government is phasing out the measures that have propped up businesses over the last two years

Ministers Paschal Donohoe and Michael McGrath: it is now time to adjust our focus towards an exit from these exceptional supports. Picture: Fergal Phillips

The last two years have been an exceptional period in our country’s history. So much has happened since March 12, 2020, when the first restrictions were announced by the then taoiseach from Washington DC.

Since then, Covid-19 has affected almost every part of how we as a society, as a community, as families, have had to go about our daily lives. The pandemic delivered a severe shock to our economy; it disrupted education and had ...