The question relates to the insurability for PRSI purposes of certain people who were employed as senior trainees by FÁS and the consequential implications for their entitlement to social welfare benefits.
Following an examination of this matter, my Department decided that the persons in question, who were employed by FÁS as instructors or trainers were insurable at the PRSI class A rate of contribution. FÁS had previously paid PRSI class J contributions for these employments.
Details of all of the "senior trainees" in question and of the periods of their employment have been furnished to the Department.
It will now be necessary to have the PRSI records of all these employees amended to reflect the correct (class A) PRSI status. The question of liability for arrears of PRSI contributions will be addressed when the periods involved in each case have been established.
Due to the scale of the work involved in regularising the PRSI records for such a large number of employees, I regret that I cannot at this stage confirm what will be the amount of the liability in this case. It is hoped to have all of the individual cases fully resolved early next year.