Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 July 2020
166. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to provide support to seasonal workers who were denied the pandemic unemployment payment in view of the fact they were not yet back to work on the week of 6 to 13 March 2020 and in further view of the fact many of their stamps have now run out and they are unable to get any other payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17604/20]
View answerThe COVID 19 pandemic unemployment payment was introduced as an emergency measure to meet the surge in unemployment which resulted from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.
One of the conditions for receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment is that a person must have been in employment immediately before 13th March and lost their income from employment. Where a person was due to take up seasonal employment but they were not in employment immediately prior to 13th March they are not eligible to receive the pandemic unemployment payment. It would be impossible to construct a scheme based on claims of potential or prospective but unrealised employment, particularly where the economy was operating at full-employment with many unfilled vacancies prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
People who do not qualify for the pandemic unemployment payment are eligible to apply for a jobseekers payment. Jobseeker's benefit is a weekly payment to people who have lost their employment and who satisfy the scheme's statutory conditions including the requirement to have sufficient social insurance contributions paid. This benefit is paid for 9 months (234 days) for people with 260 or more PRSI contributions paid and for 6 months (156 days) for people who have less than 260 paid. Where a person does not re-qualify or has used up their entitlement to jobseeker’s benefit they can apply for the means tested jobseeker’s allowance.
Any person who is experiencing financial hardship may be eligible for other financial supports under the means-tested supplementary welfare allowance scheme including an Exceptional or Urgent Needs payment. Information on the supports available under this scheme is available at www.gov.ie .
I trust this clarifies the position at this time.
