Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020
1123. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of pandemic unemployment payment recipients who were owed arrears; the number who have received arrears payments; when remaining arrears will be issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9191/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra1149. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applicants awaiting arrears of the pandemic unemployment payment; and the value of same in County Longford in tabular form. [9559/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra1150. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applicants awaiting arrears of pandemic unemployment payment; and the value of same in County Westmeath in tabular form. [9560/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra1151. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when backdated weeks of the pandemic unemployment payment will be paid. [9561/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1123 and 1149 to 1151, inclusive, together.
The emergency Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment has been introduced as a time-limited emergency measure so that payments can be made as quickly as possible to the large number of people who have become fully unemployed due to the pandemic.
During the month of March, my Department received and processed jobseeker claims equivalent in number to a three year claim-load. These applications were processed as quickly as possible, with almost 59,000 people paid in the first week of the scheme, 283,000 people paid in the following week, and over 507,000 people in the third week of the scheme. To date, over 4.9 million payments have issued to just over 670,000 individuals at a cost of over €1.7 Billion.
Currently, the Department is focused on processing and managing payments to ensure that they continue to be made to all who qualify for them. The work involved in doing this is complex, with people joining and leaving the scheme each week, along with management of overlaps between the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and the Revenue Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme.
The Department is aware that many people are due some arrears and that each person’s case is unique. This means that each person’s application may need to be individually reviewed. This important work can only begin when the Department has time to focus on this considerable task. Accordingly, I am advised that the figures requested by the Deputies are not available at this time.
It will take time to review all of the applications and assess for back payments. The Department is committed to reviewing cases as quickly as possible and work is underway to develop an IT based solution to support this important work.
I can assure the Deputies that all cases will be examined and where arrears arise they will be processed and claimants will be notified.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
