Here is a statement from a government publication that is unclear .......Last week Minister Humphreys announced increased supports for the self-employed who ARE availing of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and who are looking to restart their business. In order to reduce the risk of moving from the certainty of the PUP payment to the uncertainty of trading income, self-employed people on PUP, including those who work in the arts/entertainment industry, taxi drivers and others, can earn up to €480 per month, while retaining their full PUP entitlement.
ARE could mean at this time of publication not will be which means in the future ,Ill try to find the bit where is said 16 weeks in reciept of payments as this offer was to encourage us not to refuse one off jobs .There is another scheme that allows you work 24 hours with unlimited weekly earnings .