Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 July 2020
34. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated number of workers that are ineligible for the pandemic unemployment payment and the wage subsidy payments but that have had at least 156 weeks of PRSI contributions since they first started working. [19021/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe pandemic unemployment payment was designed to support workers who lost their employment due to the COVID 19 pandemic. In order to do this, the qualifying conditions were kept as simple as possible with no requirement that applicant had to have any specific number of contributions paid. The payment was introduced on 16 March with the requirement that the applicant had been in employment or self-employment immediately prior to 13 March 2020 and have lost their employment as a result of the restrictions placed due to the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic.
In referring to the figure of 156 contributions the Deputy may be associating this payment with the conditions attaching to the jobseekers benefit schemes as they apply to self-employed contributors. However, as already stated, no such conditionality attaches to the pandemic unemployment payment.
While the pandemic unemployment payment was designed specifically to support people who lost their employment due to Covid-19 pandemic, all other supports remain available to people in need of income support. If the Deputy is aware of any customer who did not qualify for the pandemic unemployment payment, for one reason or another, and who has a requirement for income support, they should be advised to apply for one of the other income support payments (Jobseekers Allowance, Jobseekers Benefit or Supplementary Welfare Allowance). This can be done online via MyWelfare or by contacting their local Intreo Office.
I hope that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
