Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will stick to the issue at hand. I reassure the Deputy that my Department is doing everything in its power to process payments as quickly as possible. The vast majority of claims have been put into payment without any issue. This week, for example, PUP payments have issued to more than 342,000 people. I am advised that there was an issue with about 1% of the total claims. When that happens the Department contacts the individuals involved, and when they provide the necessary information they are put into payment. It is important as well to point out that some people do not reply at all. That would tell me that they know they are not entitled to a payment. In fairness, we need checks and balances in place because at the end of the day this is taxpayers' money. My priority is to ensure resources go to the people who need them most, and that is what we are doing. For self-employed individuals, my Department has recently received an update from the Revenue Commissioners on the 2019 self-assessment returns. As these returns are filed annually and the deadline for filing is 10 December 2020, some returns will be outstanding.

If the Deputy wants me to check any specific individual cases and if he sends in the details, I will be happy to ask my officials to examine them. For many years the self-employed got nothing. There was no support or assistance available to them. However, thanks to the legislation that was passed in 2019, for the first time ever self-employed people who pay PRSI can get this unemployment support, and it is only right and proper that they should. My Department is here to help people, not to put obstructions in their way. We are here to help people in what is a difficult time for everybody.

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