€1 A WEEK TO WORK FROM HOME

COVID-19 CRISIS: CLAIMS BLOW. Paschal's paltry tax break for low earners. More pain as daily cases surge to 6,000. Simpler tax for home-workers ruled out by finance chiefs

- KEN FOXE

PASCHAL Donohoe chose the cheapest tax break option in the Budget for those working from home, it emerged yesterday.

The Finance Minister ruled out more generous packages and opted for a scheme mired in red tape which is valued at just €51 a year to earners on the lower rate.

The news comes as 5,959 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday - the sixth-highest daily figure since the start of the outbreak.

A department submission reveals how two more generous and much simpler options to reward home-workers were ruled out in pre-budget discussions.

Instead, Minister Donohoe opted for the least expensive option of the three and one that involved "most effort" for workers planning to make a claim.