Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2020

Tuesday, 23 June 2020

Ceisteanna (69, 70)

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

69. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will request his officials and-or the Revenue Commissioners to contact an airline (details supplied) to request that it immediately pay the temporary wage subsidy scheme payments to those employees that it made redundant on 29 May 2020 due to Covid-19, but for whom it has continued and will continue to receive payments under the scheme until 29 June 2020 on account of it keeping these ex-employees on its payroll list for revenue until that date; and if he will request that it pay these workers such temporary wage subsidy scheme payments due until 29 June 2020 alternatively. [12251/20]

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

70. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will request that his officials and-or the Revenue Commissioners will contact an airline (details supplied) to request that it immediately remove from its payroll listing, those employees who were made redundant on 29 May 2020 due to Covid-19 but have been unable to claim the pandemic unemployment payment, due to the fact that it has the ex-employees listed on its payroll and that it indicates will remain listed on its payroll for purposes of the temporary wage subsidy scheme until 29 June 2020, meaning the ex-employees continue to be ineligible for the pandemic unemployment payment and will have had no income for a month; and if he will arrange for such employees to receive arrears of the pandemic unemployment payment from 29 May 2020. [12269/20]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Finance

I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 70 together.

I am advised by Revenue that, notwithstanding any obligations imposed on the Revenue Commissioners under section 851A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 or any other enactment relating to the confidentiality of taxpayer information, section 28 of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 provides that the names and addresses of all employers to whom a temporary wage subsidy has been paid will be published by Revenue on its website. Revenue advise me that it will publish these details when the temporary wage subsidy scheme has ended. The publication of these details, in conjunction with the individual’s payslip on which an employer is obliged to identify the amount of subsidy paid to the individual, will enable employees to establish if their employer has availed of the scheme. In the interest of fairness to all employers participating in the scheme, Revenue will not be commenting on whether any particular employer has availed of the scheme until the scheme has ended.

I am further advised by Revenue that penalties will apply to any abuse of the wage subsidy scheme by an employer self-declaring incorrectly, not providing funds to employees or non-adherence to Revenue Guidance, and any other relevant guidance issued.