Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020
628. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if 2019 tax returns can be taken into consideration when assessing pandemic unemployment payment rates for those who are self-employed. [18983/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra630. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the decision to award self-employed persons the pandemic unemployment payment is based solely on 2018 earnings; if so, the reason; if it has been legislated for; if not, if it is at the discretion of her Department; and if there is an appeals process for those who have had their payment reduced. [19051/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 628 and 630 together.
The 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. To be eligible for the pandemic unemployment payment a person must have been in employment immediately prior to the 13th March and lost their income from employment due to the onset of the pandemic. Self- employed people must have suffered a collapse in their trading income to the extent that they are available to take up other full-time work.
Where a person is self-employed their gross average weekly income for 2018, the last tax year for which verifiable data on self-employed income is available, is used to calculate the rate of the pandemic unemployment payment. Any person who feels that the assessment of their earnings, based on returns already submitted to Revenue, is inaccurate can ask for a review of their case with further details available on www.gov.ie.
As part of the Governments July stimulus announced last week, changes were introduced to the structure of the pandemic unemployment payment which mean that it continues to be a strong support but is also fair and targeted. From the 17 September 2020 until the 31 January 2021 the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will be paid at 3 rates. The payment rate will depend on the amount previously earned. For people who earned less than €200 per week the rate of the pandemic unemployment payment will be €203 per week. For people who earned €200 to €300 per week, the rate of payment will be €250 per week. For people who earned over €300 per week, the rate of payment will be €300 per week
I trust that this clarifies the matter.
