Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 October 2020
226. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if payment will be made to a person (details supplied) with regard to backdated Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payments that her Department has informed the person are due. [30503/20]
View answerSince the introduction of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment scheme in March, approximately 750,000 people have applied for payment and in some cases, they have done so on a number of occasions as they moved in and out of employment. Consequently, there are over 1 million applications to be examined to determine if arrears are due.
The Department has been developing an automated process, which will examine each case and look at their overall entitlement to payment and match this against their payment history. Given the complexity attached to the project, it is taking some time to review all cases and determine to what extent, if any, arrears are due to individuals
The Department is aware that many people are due some arrears of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. You can be assured that all cases will be examined and if arrears are due they will be processed and the customer will be notified accordingly. It is hoped to have any arrears payments made before the end of the year.
