Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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552. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding social welfare entitlements for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11699/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Since the start of the Pandemic, many employers have put in place flexible arrangements for staff to allow them to continue to work while caring for their children. This should continue wherever possible as it maintains that vital link between employees and their employers. As was the case when childcare facilities and schools were closed previously, an employee who cannot attend work due to child minding responsibilities and as a consequence is not in receipt of employment income is eligible to apply for a PUP. This arrangement continues during the latest level 5 restrictions. Applications are processed on the basis of self-declaration and are checked against employment and earnings records from Revenue.

According to the records of my Department, the person concerned applied for and was paid a PUP for the period 08/01/2021 to 21/01/2021. The PUP stopped when the person concerned confirmed that she was re-engaging with her employer for training as a person is not entitled to receive a PUP in any week that they are in receipt of employment income.

If the person concerned was engaged in training during one week only and is not in a position to attend work at present due to child minding responsibilities, it is open to her to submit a new application for a PUP at www.mywelfare.ie and her application will be processed promptly. If however the person concerned is engaged in ongoing training on a weekly basis and/or is in receipt of employment income every week she is not eligible to receive a PUP.

The person concerned is currently in receipt of a One Parent Family Payment of €206 per week and is being assessed with weekly means of €35. If she continues to attend work on reduced hours every week she can apply to the Coolock Intreo Centre at coolock@welfare.ie and request a review of the means being deducted from her payment. The person concerned is also in receipt of a Working Family Payment of €42 per week.

If the person concerned is experiencing financial difficulties she can contact her local Community Welfare Service in the Coolock Intreo Centre where her circumstances will be assessed. Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department can make a single Exceptional Needs Payment to help meet essential, once-off expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. There is no automatic entitlement to these payments which are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme, taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case, in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance. The Community Welfare Service can be contacted by phone at 01 6125400 or by email at coolock@welfare.ie. Further information on Exceptional Needs Payments and an application form can be found at www.gov.ie/dsp.

I trust this clarifies the matter.