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NEW COVID-19 PANDEMIC Unemployment Payment (PUP) bands come into effect today.
The PUP will move from two rates of payment to three rates, and the top rate of €350 is being reduced to €300.
The rate a recipient will receive will depend on the amount of money they previously earned:
Recipients of the PUP will see the impact of these changes in their bank accounts next Tuesday, 22 September.
People do not need to contact the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection about these changes as they will happen automatically.
“The Department has access to this information from the Revenue Commissioners and will be contacting PUP recipients in advance of these changes informing them of their new rate of payment,” a statement noted.
Over 200,000 people are still receipt of the payment.
As part of the July Jobs Stimulus, a decision was taken to close the PUP for new entrants from today. However, Cabinet on Tuesday decided to extend this date until the end of 2020.
‘No bottomless pit of money’
The decision to reduce the top rate of the PUP and change the bands has been criticised by entertainment, arts and hospitality industries in particular.
The livelihoods of many people who typically work in the arts and entertainment sector have been decimated, most of whom currently have no prospect of work due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions.
Speaking on RTE’s Drivetime yesterday, Minister of Social Protection, Community and Rural Development Heather Humphreys acknowledged those who normally work in these industries are in an “extremely difficult situation” as events such as concerts are unable to be held in most circumstances.
Humphreys noted that a government taskforce is looking into the recovery of the arts and culture sector. She encouraged those working in these industries to “engage” with her department, saying: “We want to work with you.”
She said the government wants to protect as many jobs as possible, but noted: “We don’t have a bottomless pit of money and we have to try to be as fair as we can here.”
To date, over €3.5 billion has been paid via the PUP to hundreds of thousands of people who lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic.
More changes in February
The PUP rates will change again on 1 February 2021.
From next February, the following changes will apply:
The PUP will end on 1 April 2021. People getting the payment will have to apply for a jobseeker’s payment if they have not found work by that date.
Revenue has said it will treat the PUP as taxable income. Depending on a person’s overall income during a year, the PUP may affect a person’s overall tax liability for the year.
PUP recipients will be deemed to have paid PRSI contributions at the same rate they were paying immediately before they were laid off, enabling them to qualify for other social welfare payments.
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You love me. You really, really love me…
No!
I love you..
Have to say OU182 that was a mighty fine comment.. Ireland could do with you in the department of tourism!
In fact, (my partner and I were just discussing your movie idea – which is fantastic, just think Tír na n’Óg, Children of Lír, Ireland is stuffed to the gills with fantasy ripe for the cinema, its been huge in recent years) as Ireland was on Peter Jacksons short list of locations when he thought he might not be able to film the Hobbit in New Zealand, we should be promoting the hell out of our landscape to filmakers for fantasy films, hopefully the success of Game of Thrones in the north may tempt a few more directors to take a look around this little island of ours! (There have been a few but sadly they didn’t do so well.. The classical Irish myths and legends would be big hits with audiences all over the world who have embraced them already).
It’s amazing they haven’t been done already.
Peter Jackson would be top choice for me.
Part funding is a great idea.
There’s so much fantasy stuff which could be internationally cast (they don’t all have to be Irish, we just need people who would look & sound Irish). The stories are amazing. Update them to match the current fantasy driven releases & there’s no reason they wouldn’t be hits. The tourism board & the film board could partially fund it with the remaining coming from the studio that makes it
Guillermo del Toro who was supposed to direct The Hobbit, filmed part of Hellboy II in Ireland – (from wikipedia & spoilers ahead for anyone who hasn’t seen it: “Nuada kidnaps his sister and critically wounds Hellboy with his spear. Unable to remove the spear shard, Liz, Abe and Krauss take Hellboy to the location of the Golden Army in The Giants Causeway County Antrim, Northern Ireland. They encounter a Bethmoora goblin, and he brings them before the Angel of Death, who has been awaiting their arrival. ”
It looks amazing on screen & is instantly recognisable. The old Irish tales are fantastic in depth & history & fantasy. A slight modernisation, a decent cast & a director who knows what to do with a good story & there’s huge potential, both in terms of box office revenue & tourism boosts (proven in the past).
Would probably be crucified for this, but if you had the likes of Chris Helmsworth or a beefed up Robert Pattinson playing CuChulain (Michael Fasbender was linked to the role a year ago but nothing happened), that would bring girls in to see it, the fantasy would bring the guys in & the quality of the stories would bring everyone else.
I should do a kickstarter to raise the funds for a proof of concept start.
Can’t beat the Táin for an epic ending – strapped dying to a rock, facing the horde. Mind you, we’d have to change the whole ‘going to war for cows’ thing a bit…
Perhaps sacred cows …. pro life pro choice
I think the funniest comments of the week are happening right now on the “Plane shot over runway into the sea” article
Ohhh we are a funny lot ;)
“THIS IS (!) A CATHOLIC COUNTRY!” lol
Exactly. Gas :)
Where’s my one about taking a shite,a good 1,000 on that baby,haha.not that I care like :-)
And the past few weeks, Christine?
Oh no, he’s kicking off again.
That’s right, Little Jim, you bow down to the Man (or in this case Woman).
That’s what she said last night!
Be nice to eachother and I’m not going to tell ye again.Now behave.
Your bullets cannot harm me.
Wehey!!!!!!!!!
So I take it ya you took on my suggestion from last week Christine, or is it a coincidence? :)
have your say