Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020
514. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if special supports for proprietors and executive directors of small businesses for the duration of Covid-19 restrictions has been considered such as short time working payments and so on. [24902/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe pandemic unemployment payment is available to all employees and self-employed persons aged between 18 and 66 years and has been extended until the end of March 2021 to support employees and businesses who continue to be severely impacted by ongoing public health restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I have also secured agreement that the scheme will remain open to new applicants until the end of 2020.
A self-employed person must have suffered a reduction in their trading income to the extent that they are available to take up other full-time employment. This allows some limited scope for a self-employed person to engage in once-off or emergency work and still retain eligibility for the pandemic unemployment payment. This is essentially occasional, irregular or isolated events and where there is a clear divergence from previous employment patterns.
Where a person is not eligible to receive the Pandemic Unemployment Payment they may apply for a jobseeker payment depending on their circumstances. A person in receipt of a jobseekers payment may take up employment but they must be unemployed for 4 days in 7 consecutive days.
The short time work support is a social insurance contribution based income support available under the jobseekers benefit scheme to employees who have had the number of their days of employment reduced on a temporary and systematic basis due to a reduction in business, including following the effects of the Pandemic. This presents an opportunity for employers to retain skilled labour, in a reduced capacity, thus avoiding the need to recruit once the economic situation improves.
I also wish to draw your attention to the Enterprise Support Grant which previously supported entrepreneurs who were setting up new enterprises but has now been extended to provide once-off supports for self-employed people who have been severely impacted and have had to cease operations as a result of the Pandemic. The grant is payable up to €1,000 to help small business owners who transition from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to re-open their business. It is payable to self-employed micro enterprises that are not eligible for support from the COVID 19 Business Restart Grant or other similar business reopening grants. Details on the application process to access this grant is available on www.gov.ie.
Any person who is experiencing financial hardship may access assistance under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme including Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments. Information on the supports available under this scheme is available at www.gov.ie
I trust this information is useful and sets out the range of supports available from my Department.
