Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2020
263. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to maintain Covid-19 payments and or wage subsidy schemes to those involved in the entertainment industry until such time that mass gatherings are permitted (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14351/20]
View answer266. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will ask the Ministers for Social Protection, Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and Finance to respond to the request by those artists, workers and crew in the arts and live entertainment and their representative organisations to maintain the pandemic unemployment payment and the temporary wage subsidy scheme and to provide other supports and grants for those in that sector who, because of public health and social distancing requirements, have no prospect of a return to viability for the foreseeable future and to maintain those supports until full recovery in the sector is achieved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14561/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 266 together.
The Government operates two universal supports for all sectors including the entertainment industry. The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme allows employers to retain staff and it is operated by the Revenue Commissioners. I understand that over 64,400 employers are registered for the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme with the Revenue Commissioners. Those employers have around 405,000 employees being supported by the Scheme. The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme has been extended to 31 August 2020.
The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is available to those who become unemployed as result of the pandemic and it is operated by the Department of Social Protection and Rural Development and the Islands. I understand that as of 30 June up to 439,000 people were in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment and these are now required to confirm their eligibility for the receipt of the payment. The PUP has been extended to 10 August 2020. Further details of this are available on the gov.ie website at the following link
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/6c9cf-daily-briefing-on-the-governments-response-to-covid-19-wednesday-1st-july-2020/#pup-recipients-confirmation-of-continued-eligibility
In addition to these income supports there are jobseekers benefit and jobseekers assistance schemes as well as Jobseekers Assistance for Self-Employed Artists. Further detail of these schemes can be accessed at the following link
https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-employment-affairs-and-social-protection/
The continuation of these income supports and other issues will be considered as part of the Government’s July stimulus package to boost the economy after the coronavirus.
