Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 January 2021
173. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Social Protection if the pandemic unemployment payment and employment wage subsidy schemes will be extended past March 2021; if special consideration will be given to especially hard-hit sectors such as aviation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4585/21]
View answerThis week my Department has issued weekly payments valued at almost €143 million to just over 475,360 recipients of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) as this payment continues to provide valuable financial support to those who lost employment due to the impacts of Covid-19.
PUP will remain available until 31st March 2021 and I recently secured Government approval to retain payment at the existing rates which provides a level of reassurance to recipients at this time, including those in sectors, including aviation, most impacted by the pandemic.
The Government will continue to keep all aspects of the PUP under review and future decisions will be informed by the trajectory of the pandemic and the evolving public health situation.
I hope that this clarifies the position at this time.
