Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2022
148. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who still remain on the pandemic unemployment payment; the measures that her Department has implemented that have been the most impactful to ensure those who were on the payment found new employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24650/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the COVID-19 Pandemic presented a range of significant economic challenges, not least to the labour market. The Government responded quickly by introducing the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) to support incomes for those who were unable to work, and the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS), which was superseded by the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), to support businesses and workers affected by the pandemic.
Over the course of the pandemic, the PUP has supported around 880,000 individuals, paying out over €9 billion. Following on from the successful vaccination campaign, which enabled the reopening of the economy, the Government agreed to withdraw the emergency Covid supports in a phased manner.
The Department worked with the remaining PUP recipients at the final stages of the winding down of the PUP, to assist eligible jobseekers in their Live Register claim applications. The first Jobseeker payments for the cohort who remained on the PUP at the end, were paid on 5 April, following the PUP payments on 29 March.
For those who have transitioned from the PUP and applied for Jobseeker’s Allowance, but whose claim is still being processed by the Department, support will continue to be provided through the PUP until a decision is made regarding their claim. As of 13 May, there are 130 of these, all of whom are included in the Live Register.
In respect of the impact of these schemes, analysis conducted in November 2021, published by my Department shows that, by early October 2021, of the 774,000 people who exited the PUP, 571,000 or 74 percent, have evidence of employment. Of these, 305,000 returned to work, at some stage, with their pre-PUP employer. Accordingly, there have been strong exits to employment from the PUP scheme.
In this regard, the EWSS and PUP were successful in helping maintain the links between businesses and employees. Jointly, these measures have helped support the economy and labour market throughout the pandemic, facilitating a rapid recovery following the easing of public health restrictions.
Partially as a result of these efforts, the Live Register, as of the week ending 8 May, stands at around 175,400, below pre-pandemic levels. While these signs are positive, it is critical to continue to minimise potential scarring effects amongst people who remain unemployed and particularly for those who face difficulties or higher barriers of entry to the labour market.
Accordingly, my Department is committed under Pathways to Work 2021-2025, the Government’s employment services strategy, to assist these individuals through the provision of a broad range of supports and employment services.
