Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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932. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if employees (details supplied) qualify for the pandemic unemployment payment in view of the fact they are being forced to reduce their working hours as a direct result of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7198/20]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The COVID 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment was introduced in March 2020 as a time-limited emergency measure to meet the surge in unemployment which resulted from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. This emergency payment is payable to people of working age between 18 and up to 66 years old, who were in employment immediately prior to the 13th March 2020 and have lost their employment and their income due to the impact of the pandemic. If these conditions are satisfied, the COVID 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is payable.

Where an employee has had their hours of work reduced and is unemployed for 4 days or more in a week they can apply for the social-insurance based jobseekers benefit. If they have been put on a short time working week on a temporary basis due to a reduction in business for any reason, including the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic, they can apply for short time work support. If they do not qualify for these social insurance supports they may be eligible for the means tested jobseekers allowance scheme. Further details on the supports available are provided on www.gov.ie.

I trust that this clarifies the matter.