Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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759. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if provision has been made as part of the July stimulus package for temporary clerical officers that are on short contracts and will not be eligible for the pandemic unemployment payment in October 2020. [19812/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As part of the Government's July stimulus package, announced last week, the pandemic unemployment payment has been extended to 1st April 2021.  Further changes have been introduced to the structure of the payment which means that it continues to be a strong support but is also fair and targeted. Applications for the scheme will continue to be taken until 17 September 2020.

A person who does not qualify for the pandemic unemployment payment may be eligible for support under the jobseeker schemes.  Jobseeker's benefit is a weekly payment to people who have lost their employment and who satisfy the scheme conditions including the requirement to have sufficient social insurance contributions paid.  This benefit is paid for 9 months (234 days) for people with 260 or more PRSI contributions paid.  It is paid for 6 months (156 days) for people who have less than 260 PRSI contributions paid.

Where an individual is not eligible for jobseeker's benefit or has exhausted their entitlement they may apply for the means-tested jobseeker's allowance.

I trust that this clarifies the position.