The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has issued payments to 8,600 people working in the “agriculture, forestry and fishing, mining and quarrying” sector in respect of their application for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).
The latest payment data – as of Tuesday, May 5 – shows a incremental increase on last week’s figure which stood at 8,400.
This industrial grouping remains the third lowest sector with people in receipt of the emergency payment for employees and the self-employed who have lost their income and are fully unemployed due to the pandemic.
Further occupational details on the breakdown of the agriculture sector workers in receipt of the emergency payment are not available at the department.
Overall, there are currently 598,000 people in receipt of the PUP – which is paid at a rate of €350/week into a customer’s bank account.
The highest sector with people in receipt of PUPs is accommodation and food service activities (128,500), followed by wholesale and retail trade (90,300) and construction (79,300).
Farmer Payment Entitlements
Some full-time farmers are eligible for Covid-19 PUP payment – however, it is subject to certain criteria.
A spokesperson for the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection previously stated the following to AgriLand:
Full-time farmers whose farm income has collapsed as a result of the pandemic and who are available to take up other full-time work are entitled to the PUP at €350/week.
Part-time farmers who have lost off-farm employment as a result of the pandemic and who, as a consequence, would be in a position to take up other full-time employment if it was available are also entitled to the payment.
In such cases, where farm assist was in payment, this will be suspended for the duration of the PUP payment, the spokesperson said.
“A farmer in receipt of farm assist payments is not entitled to PUP. However, if their income has deteriorated as a result of restrictions or loss of income, they can look for a reassessment of the Farm Assist.
A farmer in receipt of rural social scheme is not entitled to PUP, but the existing payment is maintained.
“A farmer and/or spouse in receipt of carers allowance and carers benefit, including those who are working fewer than 18 hours/week, who have ‘ceased trading’ or lost their employment can claim PUP.”
Finally, a farmer in receipt of disability allowance that has ‘ceased trading’ or lost employment is entitled to PUP. The disability allowance payment will be adjusted to take account of the PUP, the representative said.