Senior ministers are understood to be moving away from increasing PUP benefits for laid-off workers after a special Cabinet subcommittee on Monday night.
It will come as a devastating blow to thousands of workers in nightclubs and late bars who are facing losing their jobs again after the midnight drinking curfew came in last week.
Meanwhile, a decision not to slash Covid business supports, the EWSS and CRSS payments, due to be cut next month, has been postponed.
It is understood that any decisions on the special supports for business schemes, and added help through a topped-up PUP for workers, will now be looked at again next week instead.
However, the Irish Mirror understands that while it is looking good for the Government looking after businesses through maintaining their supports, it’s not looking so good for workers, as a rowback on PUP is less likely.
PUP was cut earlier this month, but many in the night-time hospitality industry are losing their jobs or hours again after the limited return of restrictions last week - including the new midnight closing time.
Hotels and restaurants have also been hammered by last week’s return of restrictions, with Christmas parties and functions being cancelled in their droves.
A special meeting of senior ministers who sit on the Cabinet’s economic subcommittee met on Monday evening to discuss the financial implications of the latest Covid figures.
All the indications are that the top members of Government at the meeting are against loosening the pursestrings to increase Covid payments again.
The senior ministers at Monday's meeting included the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, Tánaiste, Leo Varadkar, and the two main ‘money ministers’, Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe and Minister for Public Expenditure, Michael McGrath.
The full Cabinet meets this morning where a memo on the effectiveness of booster jabs and plans to subsidise antigen tests will be brought by Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly.
