Seán Sherlock
Ceist:24. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if the pandemic unemployment payment will be restored to the full rate for those workers in the entertainment industry. [25247/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 22 September 2020
Ceisteanna (24)
Freagraí ó Béal (6 píosaí cainte)
I would like to ask the Minister if she has given consideration to the restoration of the Covid payment for those people who are part of the live entertainment and events sector.
I thank Deputy Sherlock for raising this matter. As he is aware, the Government has decided that from 17 September, the pandemic unemployment payment will be paid at three rates linked to a person's pre-Covid employment earnings. Individuals whose prior earnings were €300 or more per week will receive a payment of €300 per week. A rate of €250 will apply to those who previously earned between €200 and €300 per week and the rate of €203 remains unchanged for those who had prior earnings of less than €200 per week.
For people on the new rate of €250 per week, the payment will equate to between 83% and 125% of prior earnings and, on average, 105% of prior earnings. One of the reasons it is necessary to recalibrate the PUP is so that we can extend its availability while being mindful of the cost to the State. While we can borrow money now, ultimately these borrowings will have to be repaid by young and future generations of workers. The income related rates of payment are a fair and equitable way to make the necessary adjustments and facilitate the extension of the scheme to the end of March next year. My Department is advising those people affected of these rate changes and is setting out for them the basis for the decision in each case.
The PUP has been extended until end of March 2021 and will continue to provide support to workers from sectors facing extended periods of closure, including the entertainment industry. I have also secured approval to keep the scheme open to new applicants until the end of the year. This means that anyone who loses their employment over the coming months, including those who may have returned to work but may be affected by new restrictions, will be able to avail of the support. These new rates will apply to all recipients and it would not be fair to make exceptions for those who had previously worked in the arts or entertainment sector, while applying the changes to more than 97% of recipients who have worked in other sectors.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
Finally, my Department has put in place a mailbox dedicated to the sector for individual artists to raise queries directly with the Department at artistspup@welfare.ie. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
The reason we are consistently making the case on behalf of the live entertainment and events sector is there is no timeline for the restoration of those jobs. The loss of income that has accrued to those in that sector through no fault of their own, which the Minister will appreciate fully, has been absolutely devastating. The ability of many of the people working in that sector to survive and their quality of life, even at the tiered rates, have been severely diminished. The net effect of that will be that many of them may now be forced to emigrate. That is the reality as they will not be able to find work in other sectors because these are quite technical and specified jobs. I again make the case for that sector.
As a former Minister for culture, both the Deputy and I value the work that those involved in the arts and entertainment sectors do. The question is whether I restore the €350 rate specifically for those who work in the entertainment industry. Workers in that sector represent approximately 3% of people on the PUP. I understand the position that they are in but it would be unfair to increase the payment for one cohort and not do it for the other 97% who have also lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic.
I have had good engagement with the sector, particularly the Music & Entertainment Association of Ireland, on some of its concerns. The first thing that the sector was asking for was that the PUP would be kept open beyond 17 September. We have done that and I have secured Government approval to keep it open until at least the end of the year.
Can the Minister again give consideration to looking at the issue in the round? If there is no timeline for the reopening of the sector and if we are not going to have cultural and sporting events, whatever type of event one wants to imagine that befits the live entertainment and events sector, there has to be some scope for developing a package. Every day, we support the foreign direct investment sector through the IDA. We support local enterprises through Enterprise Ireland. I am also making the case for the other 97% but they have some chance of reclaiming their employment. The live entertainment sector has no chance at present.
If the Minister is telling us that she is not of a mind to up the payment to €350, I accept that. I want to see, however, some sort of package of supports that directly goes into people’s houses in a way that sustains them.
I thank the Deputy. As he will be aware, the Taoiseach has spoken about sectoral supports. In that respect my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, has announced the establishment of a new task force for the recovery of the arts and culture sector under the chair of Clare Duignan. It will consider the impact of Covid-19 for culture and the arts, the audiovisual industry and the live entertainment industry. The Minister announced a new €10 million culture fund. Additional funding was also provided to the Arts Council, which has been allocated €105 million in total, which is 40% higher than it had received in 2019. There is a further €10 million for the audiovisual sector, which is going to pilot a performance and production support package. Many supports are available from the Departments of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Transport. We will continue to engage with the sector because I fully understand the difficult situation they are in. These people want to go back to work.