Extension of furlough scheme gets broad Derry welcome

The Mayor, Brian Tierney, said the British Chancellor Rishi Sunak's announcement that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) would continue was 'positive' and would provide 'clarity and relief' to many.

“I welcome the news the announcement from Chancellor Rishi Sunak, that the Job Retention Scheme has been extended until March next year. I wrote to the Chancellor last month lobbying for the scheme to be continued and highlighting the need for workers to be protected during the pandemic.”

“While we await more detail, it is very welcome that workers will continue to receive 80%, at minimum, of their salary. While this is a very positive announcement and will provide clarity and relief to many across the North, it is important that the UK Government will be flexible with people and businesses, and to reflect the phasing of staff back to work and part time working that many businesses will require," he said.

Rishi Sunak extends furlough scheme for Derry workers to March

Mayor Tierney added that Government financial support and intervention is needed if the local economy is to recover from the pandemic.

He said: “"The economy in our Council area is dominated by Micro and SME Businesses and is heavily reliant on tourism, retail and hospitality sector to provide employment.. Our tourism and hospitality sector was a thriving and vibrant sector before the pandemic and it has been disproportionately impacted. News that the furlough scheme has been extended is a step in the right direction but I will be continuing to lobby Government for additional support.”

The Derry Chamber Chief Executive Paul Clancy echoed these sentiments.

“It’s a massive relief that the Chancellor has extended the furlough scheme until the end of March 2021.

"This provides certainty for businesses, workers, and families across the North West at a time of concern and anxiety for thousands of households. It is a common sense decision which will give families one less thing to worry about over the Christmas period and will hopefully go some way to protecting jobs and livelihoods.

“The Chancellor, however, must confirm that he is open to extending the scheme again next year if businesses are still under the same pressure. There’s no point in keeping the scheme open now for businesses and workers to face a cliff edge again at the end of March.

"Businesses must also be involved in the development of a strategy to live with the virus. Going in and out of lockdown is the last thing any business owner wants and it’s time to find a way to deal more effectively with Covid-19 that doesn’t involve shutting doors and wrecking consumer confidence," he said.

Derry Sinn Féin MLA Martina Anderson said it was good news for workers.

“It’s absolutely vital that workers and families have adequate financial support as we battle through the most difficult of times.

“We have been calling on the British Treasury to do the right thing and extend the scheme beyond December of this year and it’s a positive step that this has finally happened.

“As efforts continue to halt the spread of coronavirus, Sinn Féin will work to ensure workers have certainty," she said.