IS SOMEBODY READING MY POSTS ..Anne-Marie Walsh
December 09 2020 05:49 PM
MUSICIANS will be able to earn up to €960 for a gig and get the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).
New rules are set to be rolled out to ease restrictions on the self-employed on the jobless benefit when they are offered work.
Speaking in the Dáil today, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said she would accept an amendment to the social welfare bill giving them greater scope to accept more lucrative projects.
Since budget day, they have been able to earn €480 over four weeks and continue to maintain their entitlement to the payment.
This will change to double this – €960 – over an eight-week period.
“That’s important because when you’re a musician, you could have a gig one week and then maybe nothing for the next four weeks so I hope this change to €960 will help them in that respect,” she said.
She said the change followed “constructive engagement” with Jackie Conboy and the Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland.
“We all hope with the vaccine coming on stream that we will get back to some level of normality in 2021 and we want to see our musicians and artists back performing as much as possible,” she said.
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“In the meantime this will provide them with greater flexibility to take up occasional gigs while knowing that the safety net of the PUP is still there for them.”
She said the ability to earn up to €480 a month had been warmly welcomed by taxi drivers, musicians, electricians, and plumbers.
However, she would accept an amendment that had been tabled to change this to €960 over eight weeks.
“I am happy to accept that amendment as having spoken to musicians and members of the entertainment industry directly, they have explained that this would make life easier for them when it comes to one off gigs,” she said.
“Whether it is €480 over four weeks or €960 over eight weeks, the point here is that we don’t want people turning down work for fear that it might impact their pandemic unemployment payment.”
The measure will take effect when the bill is passed, and this is likely early next week.
SO NOW CAN YOU EARM IN DECEMBER AND OFF SET THOSE EARNINGS FOR LOCKDOWN JANUARY .