Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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102. To ask the Minister for Finance the measures he has or will take to ensure that those who had net weekly pay of less than €500 before the introduction of the temporary wage subsidy scheme do not receive less than €350 per week if their employer has applied for the temporary wage subsidy scheme; if a minimum weekly payment of €350 per week to the scheme will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5291/20]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The legislation underpinning the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS)is contained inSection 28 of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020.

This makes provision for the Minister for Finance to determine the amount of the temporary wage subsidy, with the consent of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, given with the concurrence of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, and different amounts of temporary wage subsidies may be so determined in relation to different classes of employee. As the Deputy will be aware, on 15 April 2020, I, as Minister for Finance, announced further updates to the TWSS.

Included in the updates were measures to increase the wage subsidy for certain lower paid employees. In effect, for those employees with previous net pay of less than €586 per week, the amount of the temporary wage subsidy shall not exceed €410 per week in accordance with the following principles:

- an 85% subsidy shall be payable in the case of employees whose average net weekly pay does not exceed €412; and

- a flat rate subsidy of up to €350 shall be payable in the case of employees whose average net weekly pay is more than €412 but not more than €500.

In addition, where an employer wishes to pay a greater level of top-up, in respect of employees with net pay of less than €412 per week, in order to bring the employee’s pay to €350 per week, then tapering would not be applied to the subsidy.

These changes to the TWSS mean that more employees will now receive a subsidy of €350 per week, and those with previous net pay below €412 per week will now receive a greater level of subsidy.

These new rates have been fully operational for payroll submissions made on or after 4 May 2020, with a pay date on or after that same date.

The changes announced allow the concentration of resources to protect incomes, in a proportionate way having regard to available resources, employer contribution and the broader suite of COVID-19 related supports put in place by the Government.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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103. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of employers who have applied to the temporary wage subsidy scheme; and the number of employees who applied in this regard. [5292/20]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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On 9 April 2020, Revenue published an initial set of statistics on the operation of the TWSS. These statistics are available at:

.

The statistics cover the operation of the TWSS to 7 May. The data published include the cost of the scheme to date, numbers of employers and employees in receipt of payments under the scheme and breakdowns of the employee and employer numbers by size of business, sector of activity, location and number of employees. I am advised that Revenue is continuing to undertake further analysis of TWSS and will publish updated and expanded statistics on a regular basis. These updates will be published at the link noted above.

As of 12 May 2020, over 53,400 employers had registered for the TWSS, representing over 470,500 employees, while Revenue has paid out some € 890 million in wage subsidy payments under the scheme.