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Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
From Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection 
Last updated 6 August 2020
1. Important Notice
2. What the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is
3. How to qualify
4. Rates of payment
5. Apply
Important Notice
Payments of Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance for 2020 will be made to qualifying customers in the week starting 13 July. Letters will issue to customers confirming their payment by 6 July.
If you do not receive a letter from us by 6 July, you should submit an application online on www.mywelfare.ie. This requires you having a verified MyGovID and details can be found on www.mywelfare.ie of how to verify.
What the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a means-tested once-off payment aimed at helping families with the extra costs when children start school each autumn.
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme is open from 1 June to 30 September each year
How to qualify
To qualify for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, you must meet the following conditions:
<ul><li>
you must be in receipt of a qualifying social protection payment or participating in an approved employment, education or training support scheme
</li><li>you must be in receipt of an increase for a qualified child (IQC) in respect of each child for whom the allowance is being claimed (except in certain circumstances)
</li></ul>each child being claimed for must be:
aged between 4 and 17 or

aged between 18 and 22, and returning to second-level education in the autumn

the assessable income for your household must be within a set income limit
you and each child in respect of whom the allowance is claimed must be resident in the State
Rates of payment
Child’s age	Rate
4 – 11	€150
12 – 22	€275
Remember, children between 18 and 22 years old must be in second-level education to qualify.For more information and to apply for the scheme <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/41eb8b-back-to-school-clothing-and-footwear-allowance/">click here.</a>

Parents receiving COVID19 payment now eligible for Back to School Allowance

TikTok is to open its first data centre in Europe in a $500 million investment, cementing the company’s determination to remain active outside the United States in the face of a potential ban by President Trump.Bytedance, the Chinese owner of the popular video-sharing app, said that TikTok would build its third data centre, picking Ireland alongside its two existing bases in America and Singapore.TikTok said the move would mean that information on British and European users would be hosted on Irish servers, giving people confidence “that their data is secure and that we are protecting their privacy”. The move highlights TikTok’s efforts to promote its protection of data amid US criticism.The company said it would invest $500 million in the centre in Ireland, the exact location of which is yet to be announced. It has also promised hundreds of new jobs in the centre that will be built within two years.The announcement came as rumours swirl that TikTok will open a new international headquarters in London, after the government said that it would not block such a move.The video-sharing app has found itself at the centre of a spat between the Trump administration and China over how it handles users’ data. The US has said that TikTok’s American services must be acquired by a domestic company or igt will be banned over concerns that it could siphon data to the Chinese government if asked to do so. Bytedance has always strongly denied it would accept such a request.Started only three years ago, TikTok is the first Chinese app to be a global hit, threatening America’s dominance of the digital economy. TikTok has been downloaded more than two billion times and has 100 million US users.Its growth has rattled Facebook, which introduced its second TikTok clone yesterday in an attempt to win over fans. Instagram’s Reels went live in 50 countries, including Britain and India, where TikTok has been banned.TikTok said that the plan to open a new data centre in Ireland had been in the works before Mr Trump suggested he might ban the app in the US.Theo Bertram, TikTok’s director of public policy in Europe, said: “This is an important symbol of our commitment to the long term in Europe and it shows the importance of Ireland for us.”Mr Bertram, a former adviser to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, said that the move would help to allay concerns after a recent decision by the EU’s top court, which ruled that the way in which data is transferred by most companies across the Atlantic does not protect the rights of European citizens.“You can look in Europe and see that there are concerns about data transfer [to the US]. I think one could perceive a gradual movement towards how that might shake out over time and this will give our users more confidence in Europe to know it’s on European servers,” Mr Bertram said.In the US, Microsoft may be near to finalising its plans to take over TikTok’s American business and secure a deal before Mr Trump’s mid-September deadline. The software group and Bytedance hope to strike the deal within three weeks, CNBC reported yesterday.In January, 2020, TikTok announced that that it was establishing a new European base in Dublin with 100 people, however London was set to remain the platform’s second biggest global office, behind Los Angeles.The Dublin office was to become TikTok’s third global ‘trust and safety hub’, after San Francisco and Singapore.To see jobs in Dublin click <a href="https://careers.tiktok.com/position?keywords=&amp;location=CT_37">HERE</a>

TikTok to build $500m digital centre in Ireland creating hundreds of jobs

<h2>The Government has extended the suspension of redundancy provisions relating to temporary lay-offs and short-time work situations until September 17th.</h2>Minister Humphreys outlined that extending the end date further will help prevent redundancies that could occur in the very near future which would burden employers with further debt and have a serious impact on the potential for a business to recover.The further extension until September 17th is necessary to mitigate against the risk of insolvency and bankruptcy situations, further job losses and will contribute to the viability of business.It is important to note that the employee’s right to claim redundancy has not been removed, but deferred for the emergency period in circumstances of temporary lay-off or short-time employment.It is considered that an extension of the end-date is important for employees to ensure that they have a continued link to their job and a pathway to return. Many employers still regard their businesses as being temporarily closed or they are operating well below their capacity, this will be particularly relevant to business that have still not received the go ahead to re-open under current Covid-19 restrictions.Many businesses plan to re-open as soon as it is possible for them to do so. It is only then that they can fully evaluate the situation, hopefully many employees who were temporarily laid-off or who seen their hours cut will be able to return to full employment with their employers. It is hoped at that time that the measures in the Jobs Stimulus package will assist employers manage the recovery of their businesses.This extension follows on from when the suspension of such redundancy provisions that were introduced in March this year when the Covid-19 emergency situation arose.At the time, the extensions were considered necessary to ensure the future viability of businesses and help prevent further permanent job losses. This rationale continues to apply to this latest extension.Current restrictionsWhere restrictions are still having an impact, for example in the pubs, arts and entertainment sectors, Minister Humphreys and the Department of Social Protection want people in those sectors to be able to return to their jobs once restrictions have eased.·   Workers who remain temporarily laid-off are therefore not required to meet the Genuinely Seeking Work requirement for work in other sectors.The focus for the Department will, as always, be on supporting those who have been permanently laid-off and who now need to look for new job opportunities. The Department will support these individuals through a range of measures such as access to education and training courses, work experience opportunities and financial supports to start their own business with the goal of helping these individuals secure employment.According to the Governments’ official publication, it is important to point out that the Redundancy Payment Acts and the Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020, as passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, are separate pieces of legislation. Section 11 of the Bill is very clear that the work a person is seeking but unable to obtain has regard for being suitable to the education and normal occupation of the jobseeker. Therefore workers temporarily laid-off or artists waiting for venues to reopen will be deemed to meet the Genuinely Seeking Work conditionality if the Bill is signed into law by the President.

Suspension of Redundancies for Temp Lay-Offs & Short-time Workers Extended

<h2>Simon Harris TD Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science needs help to prepare a new Apprenticeship Action Plan for 2021 to 2025</h2> The process of preparing the new Apprenticeship Action Plan 2021 to 2025 is already underway. It will consider all aspects of the current system together with relevant international research to ensure we have an apprenticeship system best placed to respond to long term economic needs and which will be resilient and flexible enough to meet short term challenges. Apprenticeships in Ireland have evolved into a system that provides employment opportunities with integrated education and training programmes at Levels 5 to 10 on the National Qualifications Framework. It involves multiple providers within the further and higher education system working in partnership with a broad range of employers and other stakeholders. The Action Plan will look at new ways of structuring, funding, and promoting apprenticeships. It will advance the development of a consolidated apprenticeship system with a single coherent model of governance, that is appropriate to the system that has evolved, and is inclusive of stakeholders. Such a model will seek to: ·      deliver of the highest standards of industry led, work based training; ·      position apprenticeship as a valued and attractive path to sought after qualifications within the Further and Higher Education system;·      be agile and responsive to changing labour market needs and economic cycles;·      encourage and support increased participation by employers across all sectors of the economy;·      provide for greater adoption of apprenticeship at institutional level and integration with the quality assurance and general learning environment of the Further and Higher education system;·      encourage diversity and support participation by under­represented groups.  The Consultation ProcessA successful apprenticeship system is built on close collaboration, and opportunities for dialogue, across a wide range of stakeholders. These include employers, employees and their respective representative groups, educational providers, career guidance professionals, young people, and their parents. The public bodies responsible for funding, governance and quality assurance of the education and training system have a key role to play. This Consultation Paper is the first step in a comprehensive consultation process to seek the input of stakeholders to the development of the new Action Plan. Submissions received will form the basis for further discussion with stakeholders to develop the actions and timeframes for inclusion in the new Plan. Subject to developments in relation to Covid­-19 this will involve online or face to face meetings and workshops during September and October. Where appropriate, online surveys will also be conducted.The paper is structured as follows: Section 1 describes the current governance and operational framework for apprenticeship. Section 2 outlines the current funding arrangements and considerations in relation to the cost distribution model for apprenticeship for stakeholders. Section 3 looks at participation and diversity in apprenticeship. Section 4 contains a series of questions to help frame responses to the paper. Responses to the consultation paper are requested by Friday 18 September 2020. The Government need your help to find out why, despite the successes of recent years, more learners and employers are not engaging with the system. They need your ideas on how to make apprenticeship more attractive and more accessible to women and people with disabilities. They need to know your views on the substantial changes that have taken place in apprenticeship and on how they can build a strong model for the future.Please help if you can, by reading the Consultation Paper <a href="http://www.apprenticeship.ie/Documents/ApprenticeshipConsultationJULY2020.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0-IPTvCCIGsZ_sW4KerdGp9PBf6Z0hQAgtJEBGGpZ97NC7t2v-4TBQ9Y0">HERE</a> and by providing your input if you have any experience or ideas on this matter. Your input could make a massive difference.

Apprenticeship Action Plans for 2021 to 2025 are underway - Can you help?

They are currently recruiting for;Software Developers, with more vacancies to follow.Smart Metering Systems (“SMS Plc”), which installs and manages smart meters and carbon reduction (“CaRe”) assets, has announced its expansion to Cork after the recent acquisition of energy tech start-up Solo Energy.The disruptive business model of Solo Energy includes the offer of battery storage, microgeneration, and electric vehicle (EV) charger installations at no-upfront cost to homes and businesses, with its goal to lower energy bills for consumers and help make the transition to renewables through establishing a Virtual Power Plant (VPP).This is achieved through the innovative, cloud-based FlexiGridÔ aggregation platform that Solo has developed in-house from its offices in Cork, and Orkney, Scotland. FlexiGridÔ centrally controls the distributed energy assets it installs to balance renewable generation and create efficient, local smart energy systems. The 20 software development and project management roles will be created over the next five years.Killian O’Connor, Operations Director and Co-Founder of Solo Energy, commented:<blockquote>&quot;With the backing of SMS Plc, we are now in a position to continue scaling the business in a sustainable manner while embracing new and exciting opportunities across the energy ecosystem. The 20 jobs created following our acquisition by SMS will also contribute to the fast-expanding renewable energy cluster in Cork and the South West region, and we are thrilled to play our part in growing such an important, innovative sector.&quot;</blockquote>The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, said:<blockquote>&quot;To transition to a greener economy, we will need innovative and disruptive companies to take advantage of the opportunities that will arise in the move to a low carbon future. SMS’s collaboration with Solo Energy will see the creation of 20 new highly skilled jobs in Cork. I wish them well for the future. Companies such as this one will help Ireland achieve our target of dramatically reducing carbon emissions.&quot;</blockquote>Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland said:<blockquote>&quot;Today’s announcement by SMS Plc is in line with IDA Ireland’s strategy to continue to win investment and jobs in regional locations. Solo Energy is an excellent fit with IDA’s growing sustainable energy portfolio and the creation of 20 roles in Cork demonstrates the strong availability of talent in the region. I wish SMS Plc and Solo Energy every success with their expansion and assure them of the continued support of IDA Ireland.&quot;</blockquote>For more information on the roles available at SMS Plc/Solo Energy <a href="https://smsplc.current.jobs/current-vacancies.aspx?page=1&amp;fbclid=IwAR0kAWQJ9QpqNo5SaorkcxvdzTjwwBQahFeVIO4Cpvn0Q6Y_ajHuU3M4kcc">CLICK HERE</a>

SMS Plc creates 20 jobs in Cork following acquisition of Solo Energy

UPDATE;The Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe TD has asked the Revenue Commissioners to reinstate Proprietary Directors to the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) from 1 September where they meet the objective of the scheme of retaining ordinary employees on payroll.“Over the past 48 hours he said; &quot;I have listened to the concerns of certain Proprietary Directors in relation to provisions of the EWSS. These Proprietary Directors have been using the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) to retain “ordinary” employees in their business over recent months and they would wish to continue to do so under the new EWSS.Having considered the points raised with me, I have decided to ask the Revenue Commissioners to reinstate Proprietary Directors to the EWSS from 1 September where they are retaining &quot;ordinary&quot; employees on their payroll. Minister Donohoe has also asked his department to review the provision with the Revenue Commissioners during August consistent with achieving the above objective while also protecting the integrity of the EWSS.Guidance will issue from the Revenue Commissioners in good time for the commencement of the scheme on 1 September.Any legislative amendments will be included in the Finance Bill later in the year.https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/50a6d-minister-donohoe-reinstates-proprietary-directors-to-the-employment-wage-subsidy-scheme/PREVIOUSLYIn an open Letter to the Government from a self-employed couple, running a café following the Governments previous decision to cut directors / owners from the Wage Subsidy Scheme, fears grew for small businesses Nationwide.&quot;It read; “Having slipped this announcement into a paragraph in the law, the Government are slipping away on holidays, for six weeks, in the height of a pandemic, as the economy slips into an abyss.I’m tired of fighting, tired of being taken for granted and tired of paying the salaries of those who put themselves ahead of the citizens of Ireland.Those who had the courage to open a business in Ireland are #InItTogether, but it’s not the same place as our “leaders”.You have given us two choices. Close our business permanently and claim the dole or close our business for 12 months and minimise our losses to just the annual rent and claim the dole.We still make the coffee and cook the food, but because we own our business, the Government are saying that they will not subsidise our wages” “in a loss making business”, “To do so would be illegal under Company law.”PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TO MAKE A CHANGE HERERead their full letter here.Here&#39;s more Information about the details in the July Stimulus PackageAs part of the July Stimulus package released on 23 July, the government announced the introduction of a NEW Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) which will apply from July 31st until the end of March 2021. It will run concurrently with the existing Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) until 31 August at which stage the TWSS will cease.The EWSS provides many employers with an important financial lifeline for the next 9 months. The government is setting aside €2.35 billion in employment subsidies under the EWSS which underpins the importance being placed on maintaining current employment levels within the economy. The inclusion of new hires under the scheme will provide welcome support to employers who will look to expand their workforce in the future.Financial Provisions (COVID-19) (No.2) Bill 2020, which was published on 24 July, provides the legislative footing for this new wage support scheme and sets out various details of the scheme, including the employer and employee eligibility criteria; the rates of subsidy payable; and other administrative and operational aspects.How are employers and employees eligible for the new EWSS?Employer EligibilityTo be eligible to participate in the EWSS, the employer must be able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Revenue that, they their business have been significantly disrupted by reason of COVID-19. Specifically the employer needs to demonstrate at least a 30% decline (or such other percentage as the Minister for Finance may specify) in either the turnover of the employer’s business or in customer orders received during the period 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2020, as compared to the same period in 2019.In cases where the business of the employee has not operated for the whole of the corresponding period in 2019, the following will apply:Where the business operations have commenced on or before 1 November 2019, the 30% decline test must be determined in 2020 by reference to the same reference period last year in which the business was in operation. For example, if the employer’s business commenced on 1 September 2019, then a 30% decline in the period 1 September 2020-31 December 2020 must arise as compared to 1 September 2019-31 December 2019.Where the business operations have commenced after 1 November 2019, the employer must be able to show that the turnover or customer orders during the period 1 July to 31 December 2020 will be at least 30% less than what the turnover or customer orders would have been had there been no disruption caused by COVID-19.While the introduction of a further wage support scheme is welcomed, the reference period for eligibility of 1 July to 31 December 2020 is likely to be a disappointing condition for many employers who may have suffered significantly as a result of COVID-19 in the first half of 2020 and are now expected to need a further 30% decline in the second half of the year in order to avail of any government wage supports from 1 September.Helpfully, under the new EWSS, there is no requirement for the employer to have to demonstrate an inability to pay wages which caused significant confusion and uncertainty amongst employers under the TWSS.The Bill provides that Revenue will publish guidelines to assist employers in determining whether the reduction in turnover/customer orders will occur by reason of COVID-19 and the disruption that COVID-19 is causing to business.Any employer who is entered in the register established and maintained under the Child Care Act 1991 will be considered eligible for the scheme without having to satisfy the reduction in turnover or customer order tests. This would include pre-schools, play groups, creches and other services catering for pre-school children in addition to creches etc that cater for primary school children.In order to be eligible for the EWSS throughout the entire period, the employer must be entitled to a tax clearance certificate.The Bill requires employers to review their eligibility criteria at the end of each month for July to March 2021. If as a result of the review, it transpires that the employer does not meet the eligibility criteria they should withdraw themselves from the scheme on ROS with effect from the first day of the following month.Eligible EmployeesAny employee who was considered an eligible employee under the existing TWSS provisions will also be considered an eligible employee for the EWSS.The new EWSS extends the definition of eligible employee to now include an individual who is on the payroll of the employer at any time in the “qualifying period” i.e. at any time between 1 July 2020 and 31 March 2021. This does however exclude an individual who is a proprietary director of the company and someone who is connected with the employer (unless such connected person was on the payroll of the employer between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020 and received pay from the employer during that time).Previously, with a small number of limited exceptions, an employee was only considered eligible for the TWSS where they were included on the employer payroll on 29 February 2020.The extension of the EWSS to seasonal workers and new hires is a very welcome development, particularly to those sectors such as hospitality or other seasonal businesses who perhaps were closed in February 2020 or operating at a reduced capacity.Rates of subsidy payableUnder the EWSS, eligible employers will receive a per-head subsidy on a flat rate basis which will be determined based on the amount of gross pay that the employer pays to the eligible employee as follows:Gross Pay Subsidy Payable&lt;€151.50, €0€151.50 - €202.99 €151.50 per week€203 - €1,462 €203 per week&gt;€1,462 €0The rates payable under the new EWSS have been simplified considerably compared to the rates payable currently under the TWSS. Under the existing TWSS, those employees with gross pay in excess of €960 per week are not eligible for the subsidy. This upper gross pay limit has been increased to €1,462 under the new scheme. However, a lower gross pay limit of €151.50 is now provided for which doesn’t exist under the TWSS.Operational aspects of the EWSSi) Registration for the EWSSThe employer will be required to register for the EWSS in the same way as it would have done for the TWSS. In other words, for those employers who are looking to enter the EWSS, they will be required to login ROS and register by way of declaring that the eligibility criteria are met.ii) Claiming the EWSSWhile the existing TWSS is considered a payment to the employee (albeit it is administered by the employer), under the new EWSS, the subsidy to be paid to the employer is now more akin to an employment support grant. Under the new scheme, the employer will pay the employee their normal wages and will then receive a subsidy from the Revenue in respect of each eligible employee following submission of the payroll return based on the table set out above.The subsidy will be paid by Revenue to the employer via a bank transfer (as is the case now) within a few days after the employer submitting their payroll return to Revenue for the relevant pay period.iii) Tax and PRSI positionWhile the Bill is silent on the tax treatment of the subsidy payments, it does provide that employers will be required to operate PRSI on all gross payments to be made to their employees having regard to guidelines to be published by the Revenue.Revenue has confirmed that all gross payments made to employees under the EWSS should be fully liable to PAYE, USC and employee PRSI in the normal way.However, employer PRSI at the reduced rate of 0.5% will apply for employments that are eligible for the subsidy.iv) Interaction with existing TWSSWhere an employer is entitled to receive a subsidy for an employee under the existing TWSS during July and August 2020, the employer shall not also be entitled to claim a subsidy under the EWSS in respect of the same employee. Revenue has confirmed that from 31 July, employers currently availing of the existing TWSS can claim the new EWSS in respect of new hires.From 31 July 2020, those employers who have not previously availed of the TWSS, will only be eligible to apply for the new EWSS (assuming the various eligibility criteria are met).v) PublicationAs was the case for the TWSS, the names and addresses of all employers who receive a wage subsidy payment under the new EWSS will be published on revenue.ie.vi) Anti-avoidanceThe Bill includes a specific anti-avoidance provision which seeks to counteract contrived situations whereby any gross pay due to an employee is deferred, suspended, increased or decreased with a view to securing the wage subsidy or situations where an employee is laid off and removed from the payroll and replaced with two or more employees in relation for whom the subsidy would be available. If Revenue identify any such cases, the employer will be treated as having never been eligible for the scheme and any subsidy payments received would need to be refunded, together with possible interest and penalties.Source; KMPGNEW UPDATES WILL FOLLOW

Proprietary Directors back on Wage Subsidy Scheme

UPDATE;The Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe TD has asked the Revenue Commissioners to reinstate Proprietary Directors to the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) from 1 September where they meet the objective of the scheme of retaining ordinary employees on payroll.“Over the past 48 hours he said; &quot;I have listened to the concerns of certain Proprietary Directors in relation to provisions of the EWSS. These Proprietary Directors have been using the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) to retain “ordinary” employees in their business over recent months and they would wish to continue to do so under the new EWSS.Having considered the points raised with me, I have decided to ask the Revenue Commissioners to reinstate Proprietary Directors to the EWSS from 1 September where they are retaining &quot;ordinary&quot; employees on their payroll. Minister Donohoe has also asked his department to review the provision with the Revenue Commissioners during August consistent with achieving the above objective while also protecting the integrity of the EWSS.Guidance will issue from the Revenue Commissioners in good time for the commencement of the scheme on 1 September.Any legislative amendments will be included in the Finance Bill later in the year.https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/50a6d-minister-donohoe-reinstates-proprietary-directors-to-the-employment-wage-subsidy-scheme/PREVIOUSLYIn an open Letter to the Government from a self-employed couple, running a café following the Governments previous decision to cut directors / owners from the Wage Subsidy Scheme, fears grew for small businesses Nationwide.&quot; It read; “Having slipped this announcement into a paragraph in the law, the Government are slipping away on holidays, for six weeks, in the height of a pandemic, as the economy slips into an abyss.I’m tired of fighting, tired of being taken for granted and tired of paying the salaries of those who put themselves ahead of the citizens of Ireland.Those who had the courage to open a business in Ireland are #InItTogether, but it’s not the same place as our “leaders”.You have given us two choices. Close our business permanently and claim the dole or close our business for 12 months and minimise our losses to just the annual rent and claim the dole.We still make the coffee and cook the food, but because we own our business, the Government are saying that they will not subsidise our wages” “in a loss making business”, “To do so would be illegal under Company law.”PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TO MAKE A CHANGE <a href="https://www.change.org/p/heather-humphreys-td-undo-decision-to-cut-directors-and-owners-from-the-wage-subsidy-scheme-to-save-businesses?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_23818486_en-GB%3A6&amp;recruiter=767983555&amp;utm_source=share_petition&amp;utm_medium=copylink&amp;utm_campaign=share_petition">HERE</a>Read their full letter <a href="https://idahocafe.tumblr.com/post/625099536724000768/an-open-letter-to-paschal-donohoe-and-the-irish?fbclid=IwAR3hmoJX9dBcmAOQhXmiHyPZu2gM5qR6NfvwFKxnNUliivKNmiv7zPW9BL4">here.</a>Here&#39;s more Information about the details in the July Stimulus PackageAs part of the July Stimulus package released on 23 July, the government announced the introduction of a NEW Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) which will apply from July 31st until the end of March 2021. It will run concurrently with the existing Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) until 31 August at which stage the TWSS will cease.The EWSS provides many employers with an important financial lifeline for the next 9 months. The government is setting aside €2.35 billion in employment subsidies under the EWSS which underpins the importance being placed on maintaining current employment levels within the economy. The inclusion of new hires under the scheme will provide welcome support to employers who will look to expand their workforce in the future.Financial Provisions (COVID-19) (No.2) Bill 2020, which was published on 24 July, provides the legislative footing for this new wage support scheme and sets out various details of the scheme, including the employer and employee eligibility criteria; the rates of subsidy payable; and other administrative and operational aspects.How are employers and employees eligible for the new EWSS?Employer EligibilityTo be eligible to participate in the EWSS, the employer must be able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Revenue that, they their business have been significantly disrupted by reason of COVID-19. Specifically the employer needs to demonstrate at least a 30% decline (or such other percentage as the Minister for Finance may specify) in either the turnover of the employer’s business or in customer orders received during the period 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2020, as compared to the same period in 2019.In cases where the business of the employee has not operated for the whole of the corresponding period in 2019, the following will apply:Where the business operations have commenced on or before 1 November 2019, the 30% decline test must be determined in 2020 by reference to the same reference period last year in which the business was in operation. For example, if the employer’s business commenced on 1 September 2019, then a 30% decline in the period 1 September 2020-31 December 2020 must arise as compared to 1 September 2019-31 December 2019.Where the business operations have commenced after 1 November 2019, the employer must be able to show that the turnover or customer orders during the period 1 July to 31 December 2020 will be at least 30% less than what the turnover or customer orders would have been had there been no disruption caused by COVID-19.While the introduction of a further wage support scheme is welcomed, the reference period for eligibility of 1 July to 31 December 2020 is likely to be a disappointing condition for many employers who may have suffered significantly as a result of COVID-19 in the first half of 2020 and are now expected to need a further 30% decline in the second half of the year in order to avail of any government wage supports from 1 September. Helpfully, under the new EWSS, there is no requirement for the employer to have to demonstrate an inability to pay wages which caused significant confusion and uncertainty amongst employers under the TWSS.The Bill provides that Revenue will publish guidelines to assist employers in determining whether the reduction in turnover/customer orders will occur by reason of COVID-19 and the disruption that COVID-19 is causing to business.Any employer who is entered in the register established and maintained under the Child Care Act 1991 will be considered eligible for the scheme without having to satisfy the reduction in turnover or customer order tests. This would include pre-schools, play groups, creches and other services catering for pre-school children in addition to creches etc that cater for primary school children. In order to be eligible for the EWSS throughout the entire period, the employer must be entitled to a tax clearance certificate.The Bill requires employers to review their eligibility criteria at the end of each month for July to March 2021. If as a result of the review, it transpires that the employer does not meet the eligibility criteria they should withdraw themselves from the scheme on ROS with effect from the first day of the following month. Eligible EmployeesAny employee who was considered an eligible employee under the existing TWSS provisions will also be considered an eligible employee for the EWSS.The new EWSS extends the definition of eligible employee to now include an individual who is on the payroll of the employer at any time in the “qualifying period” i.e. at any time between 1 July 2020 and 31 March 2021. This does however exclude an individual who is a proprietary director of the company and someone who is connected with the employer (unless such connected person was on the payroll of the employer between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020 and received pay from the employer during that time).Previously, with a small number of limited exceptions, an employee was only considered eligible for the TWSS where they were included on the employer payroll on 29 February 2020.The extension of the EWSS to seasonal workers and new hires is a very welcome development, particularly to those sectors such as hospitality or other seasonal businesses who perhaps were closed in February 2020 or operating at a reduced capacity.  Rates of subsidy payableUnder the EWSS, eligible employers will receive a per-head subsidy on a flat rate basis which will be determined based on the amount of gross pay that the employer pays to the eligible employee as follows:Gross Pay Subsidy Payable&lt;€151.50, €0€151.50 - €202.99 €151.50 per week€203 - €1,462 €203 per week&gt;€1,462 €0The rates payable under the new EWSS have been simplified considerably compared to the rates payable currently under the TWSS. Under the existing TWSS, those employees with gross pay in excess of €960 per week are not eligible for the subsidy. This upper gross pay limit has been increased to €1,462 under the new scheme. However, a lower gross pay limit of €151.50 is now provided for which doesn’t exist under the TWSS. Operational aspects of the EWSSi) Registration for the EWSSThe employer will be required to register for the EWSS in the same way as it would have done for the TWSS. In other words, for those employers who are looking to enter the EWSS, they will be required to login ROS and register by way of declaring that the eligibility criteria are met.  ii) Claiming the EWSSWhile the existing TWSS is considered a payment to the employee (albeit it is administered by the employer), under the new EWSS, the subsidy to be paid to the employer is now more akin to an employment support grant. Under the new scheme, the employer will pay the employee their normal wages and will then receive a subsidy from the Revenue in respect of each eligible employee following submission of the payroll return based on the table set out above.The subsidy will be paid by Revenue to the employer via a bank transfer (as is the case now) within a few days after the employer submitting their payroll return to Revenue for the relevant pay period.  iii) Tax and PRSI positionWhile the Bill is silent on the tax treatment of the subsidy payments, it does provide that employers will be required to operate PRSI on all gross payments to be made to their employees having regard to guidelines to be published by the Revenue.Revenue has confirmed that all gross payments made to employees under the EWSS should be fully liable to PAYE, USC and employee PRSI in the normal way.However, employer PRSI at the reduced rate of 0.5% will apply for employments that are eligible for the subsidy.iv) Interaction with existing TWSSWhere an employer is entitled to receive a subsidy for an employee under the existing TWSS during July and August 2020, the employer shall not also be entitled to claim a subsidy under the EWSS in respect of the same employee. Revenue has confirmed that from 31 July, employers currently availing of the existing TWSS can claim the new EWSS in respect of new hires.From 31 July 2020, those employers who have not previously availed of the TWSS, will only be eligible to apply for the new EWSS (assuming the various eligibility criteria are met).v) PublicationAs was the case for the TWSS, the names and addresses of all employers who receive a wage subsidy payment under the new EWSS will be published on revenue.ie. vi) Anti-avoidanceThe Bill includes a specific anti-avoidance provision which seeks to counteract contrived situations whereby any gross pay due to an employee is deferred, suspended, increased or decreased with a view to securing the wage subsidy or situations where an employee is laid off and removed from the payroll and replaced with two or more employees in relation for whom the subsidy would be available. If Revenue identify any such cases, the employer will be treated as having never been eligible for the scheme and any subsidy payments received would need to be refunded, together with possible interest and penalties.Source; KMPGNEW UPDATES WILL FOLLOW

UPDATE: Directors and Owners back on Wage Subsidy Scheme

Minister Humphreys has now confirmed that those receiving pandemic payments can travel to green list countries.Recipients of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) who travel to green list countries will still receive the payment Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys has told the Dáil.Ms Humphreys admitted her department could have communicated more effectively and said that the cases of all those who travelled abroad for holidays would be reviewed.In a statement during Dáil question time she told TDs she had asked “people who wish to travel on any of the countries on the green list can do so and continue to receive their payment”.But she said people who travel to the countries not on the green list can only do so for “essential reasons”.She pointed out that of the 2,500 people whose payments have been stopped, 90 per cent were leaving the country permanently.Previously, more than 100 people who received the €350 pandemic unemployment payment had the benefit cut after travelling abroad.The Department of Social Protection said that “since 7th July, 104 cases of pandemic unemployment payment have been stopped as a result of work done in the airports”.It also said that “in addition, 44 other social welfare payments (eg jobseeker’s payments, means assessed payments) have also been closed”.It said the benefit “is not paid to people who go on holidays abroad or when they are going through their 14-day quarantine period”.The statement followed a Business Post report that payments had been stopped following checks at airports and because they were boarding a flight in breach of the rules.At the time it said that cases would be considered “whereby somebody in receipt of PUP [Pandemic Unemployment Payment] had to travel abroad for urgent or exceptional reasons”.The statement explained that department officials carry out regular inspections of those travelling through Irish airports.Speaking on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that to receive the pandemic payment you had “to be genuinely seeking work and you have to be ordinarily resident in Ireland”.Mr Varadkar said the department gets information from the airports and if somebody “is not genuinely seeking work or is not genuinely living in the country any more their payment can be stopped”.When it was put to him that people on social welfare had not previously been stopped from going on a holiday, Mr Varadkar replied: “If you’re in receipt of the jobseeker’s allowance for example you are allowed to take a break away of up to two weeks, but beyond that it can be stopped.”If you have been negatively impacted by Covid-19 Lockdown and you are looking for a job right now please <a href="WWW.JOBALERT.IE">CHECK HERE</a>

Gov changes mind and says people on pandemic payments can now travel

<h2>As Amazon announces that it’s creating 1,000 new jobs in Ireland over the next two years across the company&#39;s Cork and Dublin sites, a number of other businesses are also recruiting right now.</h2>Paypal are looking for <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/job/customer-success-desk-support-paypal">Customer Success Desk Support agents </a>for their Dublin site. In these roles agents will provide back office support to Customer Success Managers. They’re also looking for a Payroll Specialist among many more opportunities and at their state of the art site in Dundalk, they require Credit Services Agents, for these roles you just need 2+ years’ experience working in Customer Service, Call Centre, Credit Services, Lending, Transaction Processing, Account Processing or Debit Services.In Limerick, Network infrastructure provider Indigo Telecom Group recently announced that they are hiring due to major expansion plans. Indigo told the media that its recruitment drive will “intensely focus on sales and technical staff”, supporting Indigo’s expansion in the data centre industry and the geographical reach of its telecom services. Roles opening up at the company will be linked to customer demand, as well as business development and optical and microwave engineering. Jobs should be listed soon.Client Solutions an Irish IT company with teams in Cork, Dublin, Barcelona and Wroclaw. Its 200-strong team in Ireland works with firms such as Microsoft, Informatica and Teradata, providing data insights, digital transformation services and more.In 2019, Client Solutions announced its plans to grow to 300 by 2021 and <a href="https://www.clientsolutions.ie/careers/">it’s still recruiting for new staff with a current posting for an open source full-stack developer.</a>US mobile and IT repair services provider MTech Mobility, has leased a new facility at Ardcavan Business Park, Wexford to accelerate its European expansion and has announced plans to create <a href="https://www.mtechmobility.com/mtech-europe">25 new jobs for Wexford over the next three years.</a> The company has leased a 14,000 sq m facility in the Ardcavan Business Park in Wexford town, which will act as its new European operations base.Globalization Partners has announced plans to establish a new European headquarters in <a href="https://www.glassdoor.ie/Jobs/Globalization-Partners-Jobs-E1161741.htm">Galway and are hiring for 25 new technology positions immediately.</a>In Cork all these companies are hiring; Apple<a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/jobs?search=apple&amp;location=">At the moment, Apple has a number of advertised in Cork</a>. They span areas such as corporate function, support and service, and operations and supply chain, and include vacancies for software build engineers, manufacturing engineers, fraud specialists and more. Their headquarters are based in Hollyhill, Co Cork, where it employs around 6,000 people. The work carried out on its campus focuses on customer care, finance, localisation, logistics and manufacturing.BNY MellonAmong BNY Mellon’s Irish offices is its facility in Cork’s Airport Business Park on Kinsale Road. The US financial services company, which is led out of New York City, first set up in Ireland in 1994 where it now employs more than 1,700 people.<a href="https://www.bnymellon.com/us/en/careers/index.jsp">BNY Mellon is hiring in Cork </a>right now for graduate and entry-level opportunities as well as a specialist business analysis consultant.Gilead SciencesEarlier this month, Gilead Sciences announced 140 new jobs for Ireland with a total investment of €7m. The Californian biopharmaceuticals firm currently has two Cork facilities: a drug product manufacturing and packing facility in Carrigtwohill and a financial shared services centre in Little Island that supports Gilead affiliates in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and South America.<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/gilead-sciences-jobs?originalSubdomain=ie">At the moment, its Cork sites are hiring for software engineers, manufacturing engineers, associate scientists and therapeutic specialists among others.</a>Global SharesThis fintech company headquartered in Clonakilty has offices in Lisbon, Hong Kong and Beijing among other global locations. Last year, it opened another Cork office at Penrose Wharf in the city with plans to hire an additional 30 people.<a href="https://www.globalshares.com/ie/jobs/">Positions currently available at Global Shares include project managers, automation engineers, software engineers and an operations analyst.</a><a href="https://www.globalshares.com/ie/jobs/"></a>Johnson &amp; JohnsonOne of the largest biotech companies in the world, has been operating in Ireland for 80 years now. The J&amp;J family includes DePuy Synthes, Janssen and J&amp;J Vision Care<a href="https://www.careers.jnj.com/ireland/overview">It’s hiring for a number of jobs in Cork at the moment, including a senior manufacturing director at DePuy Synthes and finance managers at Janssen.</a>LogitechSwiss company Logitech is a product designer and developer for music, gaming, video and computing. Founded in 1981, its brands include Astro Gaming, Ultimate Ears and Streamlabs. Logitech describes itself as “the sweet spot for people who are passionate about product, making a mark and having fun doing it”.<a href="https://jobs.jobvite.com/logitech/">Its site in Cork’s Airport Business Park is on the lookout for claims analysts, interaction designers and software engineers.</a>MalwarebytesMalwarebytes, a cybersecurity company specialising in anti-malware software, has had its EMEA headquarters in Cork since 2015. Located on Albert Quay in Ballintemple, <a href="https://jobs.malwarebytes.com/office/cork">the firm is hiring for an inside sales account representative at the moment.</a>However, its newly appointed international VP of sales, Jordan Ryan, has said that Malwarebytes’ expansion in Cork will help it accommodate up to 70 new employees, which it plans to hire over the next two to three years.MSDGlobal pharma company MSD operates in more than 140 countries and employs around 69,000 people around the world. It has five sites in Ireland, spanning Cork, Carlow, Dublin and Tipperary.<a href="https://jobs.msd.com/gb/en/ireland-job-search">MSD’s Cork facility in Brinny, Inishannon is currently hiring for a number of roles</a>, including an associate director in project process engineering, a technical specialist, an associate director in external manufacturing operations and an MES deployment lead.OneLook SystemsLast month, OneLook Systems announced plans to expand its Cork team to meet demand for its office health and safety platform. With Diegeo, Google and GSK among its clients, OneLook Systems’ main product is SafePermit.The cloud-based software helps workers, contractors, visitors or anyone looking to spend time in a workplace to first undergo online induction and training informed by advice from the World Health Organization.<a href="https://onelooksystems.com/jobs/">Right now, the company is hiring for a senior developer and a customer success project manager.</a>PGiWhile global collaboration software and services provider PGi is led from Georgia in the US, its Clonakilty office is based in the West Cork Technology Park. Its flagship product, GlobalMeet, is a communications platform encompassing apps for conference calls, meetings and online events.<a href="https://ie.pgi.com/careers/">Current vacancies at PGi in Clonakilty</a> include a global security engineer and software support representative, among other roles in customer support.Red HatRed Hat, an open source solutions provider, helps its clients standardise across environments, develop cloud-native apps and integrate, automate, secure and manage systems.The company is headquartered in North Carolina and its Cork office is based in the Cork Airport Business Park, <a href="https://redhat.dejobs.org/irl/jobs/">where it is seeking a senior technical writer to join its team remotely.</a>StrykerAn international medical technology developer, Stryker is based in Michigan. Its team in Ireland, spanning sites in Cork and Limerick, recently developed a European-compliant face shield for hospital staff responding to Covid-19.<a href="https://careers.stryker.com/search?keywords=ireland">Currently, Stryker’s facility in Carrigtwohill is hiring for quality engineers, an operations supervisor and a project manager.</a>TyndallTyndall National Institute is a research centre for ICT hardware and systems, specialising in electronics and photonics. Its core research areas include smart sensors and systems, optical communication systems, analog circuit design, nanomaterials and device processing.<a href="https://www.tyndall.ie/careers">Based in University College Cork, Tyndall currently has openings for research assistants, senior researchers, principal scientists, applications engineers and more.</a>VaronisCybersecurity firm Varonis focuses on protecting data assets for its clients, which include Coca Cola, Boston University, Harvard University, Nasdaq and Intersport. It operates in 150 countries and territories with more than 1,000 employees.<a href="https://info.varonis.com/careers?p=jobs&amp;error=301&amp;nl=1">In Cork, Varonis is based on Albert Quay in Ballintemple, where it is currently looking for technical support engineers, escalation engineers and customer success representatives.</a>To receive daily alerts for jobs available in your area create a jobseeker account in just a couple of clicks. Get started <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/create-account/jobseeker">here.</a>Best of luck with your job search,

Companies Hiring Right Now in Ireland

Picture This, Gavin James, The Coronas, The Blizzards, The Stunning, Aimée &amp; Denise Chaila are just a few among the great acts taking part in Songs From An Empty Room, a one-off live music extravaganza in support of Minding Creative Minds and the Association of Irish Stage Technicians (AIST) Hardship Fund being broadcast on RTÉ2, RTÉ 2FM, and RTÉ Player tonight. The night will also feature footage from behind-the-scenes in Ireland&#39;s event industry, with a focus on the people whose livelihoods have been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Broadcast over two hours the musical performances will air from much-loved venues around the country, including The Olympia Theatre in Dublin, Cyprus Avenue in Cork, Dolan&#39;s in Limerick, INEC in Killarney and Galway’s Roisin Dubh.Rock superstars U2 have donated €200,000 to the cause and will be contributing to the event. Audiences at home can also donate through the website <a href="https://songsfromanemptyroom.com/">Songs From An Empty Room</a> and via text or through the initiative’s GoFundMe Page. Branded crew merchandise will also be available to purchase through the website with all proceeds from these sales going to the initiative.The Live Events industry is worth €3.5 billion to Ireland each year. While many other sectors begin their recovery, Live Events &amp; Arts workers have no clear indication or guidance as to when their work can recommence. Without support, many will be forced out of the industry, and losing that skilled specialised workforce will be catastrophic for multiple sectors, including arts, culture, tourism and hospitality.So, at a time when we are most disconnected, tune in and support those who connect us the most!Songs from An Empty Room will be an unmissable show, a memorable, poignant and historic night of Irish music in these extraordinary times. In addition to providing an incredible night of entertainment, the broadcast will also feature fascinating insights from behind the scenes of Ireland’s event industry and the exceptional people who come together to make our extraordinary live events happen.Live events continue through wars, they raise money for famine, they raise the spirits of a nation in times of need and provide a focus in times of celebration. Never, in the history of staging live performances and events, has there been such a sudden and total cessation of work in Ireland, as happened on the 12th of March 2020. Currently, throughout the country, festival fields and event sites are deserted, theatre seats await an audience and music venues are empty. We hope that in sitting rooms around the country, audiences will tune in and become the support act that the live events industry needs right now.There are huge challenges facing the live events industry due to the cancellation and postponement of all mass gatherings, festivals, concerts, theatrical productions, sports events, trade shows and community gatherings. Ireland’s event businesses and crews have lost their income, with no current roadmap to recovery as long as Covid-19 continues to present a significant public health risk.However, the show must go on! In addition to providing an incredible night of entertainment, the aim of the broadcast is to help raise awareness for the live events industry as a whole and the number of individuals and businesses impacted. All funds raised will support the following two event industry resources:Association of Irish Stage Technicians (AIST) Hardship Fund<a href="https://www.aist.ie/wearethesupportact/">AIST.ie</a> Hardship Fund is available to members and non-members who work in any crew related role in the Irish live events industry. The fund is managed and distributed by AIST.Minding Creative Minds<a href="http://mindingcreativeminds.ie/">Minding Creative Minds</a> is a 24/7, free wellbeing and support programme for event industry professionals and contractors including production, lighting and sound engineers, site crew, event control, musicians, songwriters and artist managers. MCM provides free counselling services, in addition to free financial, legal and career advice for events industry personnel.Songs from An Empty RoomAimée : Denise Chaila : Eve Belle : Fia Moon : Gavin James : JafarisJames Vincent McMorrow : Lisa McHugh : Lyra : Mother DJsNoel Hogan (The Cranberries) with Danny O’Reilly (The Coronas) : Picture This | Sorcha Richardson : Soulé : The Academic : The BlizzardsThe Coronas: The StunningLive Broadcast on RTÉ2, RTÉ 2FM and RTÉ PlayerThis Saturday July 25, 2020, 8.30pm – 10.45pmHosted by RTÉ 2FM’s Jenny Greene and Eoghan McDermott

Songs from an Empty Room

<h1></h1><h2>Free of Admission to Office of Public Works Heritage Sites Announced</h2>Mr. Patrick O’ Donovan TD, Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) has announced that admission charges to certain OPW heritage sites are being waived as part of the government’s July Stimulus Plan in an effort to encourage domestic tourism and support the tourism economy - will help to entertain the kids as well.The change will kick in from Monday next, 27 July and will remain in force until the end of the year. The Minister said today:<blockquote>“From my previous experience as Minister for Tourism, I am aware that the Visitor sites in the care of the OPW are highly prized by Irish people. Many of us visited places like Glendalough and the Rock of Cashel on school tours and they are a big part of our childhood for a lot of us. I’m convinced that the fondness and pride Irish people harbour for our national heritage sites is a result of our collective childhood memories. That’s why I think that this initiative I am introducing today as part of the government’s July Stimulus will appeal to people who are looking for a different holiday experience that has something for everyone.&quot;</blockquote>OPW manages 70 visitor sites around the country, these ones will waive all fees;<ul><li>Glendalough Monastic site</li><li>Hill of Tara site</li><li>National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin</li><li>Trim Castle grounds</li><li>Fota Arboretum &amp; Gardens</li><li>Pearse Museum, Rathfarnham</li><li>Pearse Cottage</li><li>Portumna Castle Estate</li><li>Rathfarnham Castle</li><li>Roscrea Heritage grounds</li><li>Scattery Island</li><li>Newmills Corn &amp; Flax Mill</li><li>Old Mellifont Abbey</li><li>Ormond Castle</li><li>Battle of the Boyne / Oldbridge Estate</li><li>Blasket Centre </li><li>Carrowmore </li><li>Phoenix Park</li><li>Céide Fields</li><li>Charles Fort</li><li>Corlea Trackway</li><li>Desmond Castle, Newcastlewest</li><li>Dún Aonghasa</li><li>Emo Estate</li><li>Glebe Gallery</li><li>JFK Arboretum</li><li>Jerpoint Abbey</li><li>Kells Priory</li><li>Kilmacurragh National Botanic Gardens</li><li>Loughcrew</li></ul>These sites and many more play a very significant part in the cultural and heritage tourism offering and last year attracted a total of over 9.3 million visitors, many of them foreign tourists. Research by Fáilte Ireland indicates that significant numbers of domestic visitors also cited history and culture destinations as one of their motivating factors for visiting places in Ireland. The Minister has acted to capitalise on this by making the majority of these places more accessible for those on a budget who are looking for an enjoyable way to spend their 2020 holidays.The Minister said:<blockquote>“The economy has suffered a huge shock because of COVID-19, and this is particularly the case in the Tourism sector where so many people depend on a strong visitor economy to provide them with jobs. Government have identified the need to act quickly and decisively in support of the tourism sector and the OPW sites will play a part in that by making it attractive cost-wise for individuals and families to visit and for Tour Operators who wish to bring organised groups.&quot;</blockquote>A small number of the busiest sites will not be offered with free admission as there are concerns that they might be overwhelmed with large numbers of visitors and create a significant COVID-19 risk.John Mc Mahon, the OPW’s heritage commissioner said today:<blockquote>&quot;Ten locations in all will maintain an admission charge, and at three of these locations we are actually admitting people at half price. These are very popular and busy sites in the normal course and we feel that declaring them free admission will create a possibility that many more people will come to them than they can safely handle.&quot;</blockquote>Like all other public venues, OPW’s heritage sites have been closed to the public since March but, with the progressive reopening of the economy announced in recent weeks by government, sites are beginning to open their doors again. Though COVID-19 restrictions will of course be in place with limits on numbers and access to certain closed and confined spaces not available*, the OPW still hopes to offer visitors an enjoyable and memorable experience in some of the most important historic buildings and sites in Ireland with admission charges lifted for the remainder of the year**.The Minister concluded:<blockquote>&quot;As a society, we have all endured a huge amount in the past few months and I’m hoping with this measure to remind people of what’s on their doorstep here in Ireland and encourage them to help Ireland’s tourism industry to make it through 2020 and come back with a real bang in 2021. Hopefully people will be able to discover something new or maybe they’ll be able to relive a childhood experience with their own families. But I’d encourage everyone to get out there and see what Ireland has to offer.&quot;</blockquote>A full list of the OPW sites and their charging regimes is available at OPW Heritage Sites or check <a href="www.heritageireland.ie">www.heritageireland.ie</a> for additional information on each site, including opening times, booking requirements, contact details, and so on. We advise that you check with the individual heritage sites for openings, booking policy, and so on prior to travelling, as restrictions will be in place on many sites.ENJOY THEM WHILE YOU CAN!

Back to our Childhoods & School Tours, Heritage Sites now Free!

There was a lovely sense of joy today as many more businesses opened their doors for the very first time since COVID-19 lockdown.Pints were pulled, food served to tables, hair roots and silver streaks covered and many childcare facilities welcomed their little ones back again.Hotels opened up their bedrooms and resident bars, as they waited for guests to arrive.While business life is very different than before for everyone, there&#39;s no doubt that many business owners and employees were delighted to return.Business plans have also changed, right now most businesses are aiming to just get back on track - in as much as they possibly can. They will be happy to just break even by the end of their financial year.At JobAlert.ie we want to wish every business both large and small the very best of success. Please support local people and try and be as patient as possible as businesses try to get used to their new norm.Employers, if you need staff please contact us;Website; <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/employers">https://www.jobalert.ie/employers</a>Phone; 01 8495003Email; info@jobalert.ie

Customers Wanted, Apply Within

Joy as hairdressers, hotels and B&amp;Bs and small gatherings for summer weddings are expected to get the go-ahead for the end of June. Many people will be thrilled to hear that they can finally ditch the root sprays and go on a little break away.Couples whose wedding plans were put on hold will also be relieved to know they can have a small gathering if they like, but it could be disappointing for some that may have already cancelled all their plans. Cinemas and theatres are also being reviewed and restaurants and pubs that serve food will also be back in business. Other Pubs that don&#39;t serve food will not open until July.If you need staff please let us know, we would be delighted to help you. If you are a jobseeker, register on our website to receive &#39;JobAlerts&#39;, we&#39;ll help you to find your ideal job.About JobAlert.ieAt JobAlert.ie we use the very latest technologies to reach jobseekers directly through social media. This allows you to engage with both active and passive highly qualified jobseekers in an easy, accessible and affordable way. By passive we mean those potential candidates who may not be actively looking for a new job, but if they see an opportunity in their social media newsfeeds they will apply. This can make a massive difference, particularly for those hard to fill vacancies.We have over 400,000 followers on social media, segmented by county and we also have over half a million website visitors each month. Thousands of jobseekers have signed up to our ‘JobAlert’ on line system, where they are notified about roles that meet their selected criteria.We ensure that businesses of all sizes can attract the best talent. All you have to do is upload the details of your vacancy to our website and our system does the rest.What you can you expect when you advertise with JobAlert.ie- Your job spec is reviewed and we’ll make some suggested changes based on our experience, if you like.- An eye catching unique graphic is automatically produced for use on social media.- Each Job Ad stays live on our website for 30 days.- A digital marketing campaign begins for each Job Ad, as it is shared to relevant audiences on social media during peak traffic hours to ensure maximum exposure.- Ads are automatically monitored and pushed on social media multiple times if additional CVs are required. - ‘JobAlert’ notifications are sent to candidates who have registered for your specific job type.- You can review, manage and respond quickly to candidates by logging into your JobAlert.ie account and using our inbuilt applicant tracking system.- You will be assigned a dedicated Account Manager who is highly specialised in recruitment and digital marketing.- You will successfully fill your vacancies!There are no hidden fees or yearly contracts, Job Ads are just €149 + Vat and for clients that advertise regularly we also have scaled rates available.We pride ourselves on our follow up service, but don’t just take our word for it, you can read some recent testimonials on our website <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/employers?openTestimonies=true&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=news&amp;utm_campaign=Ad%20Costs#testimonies">here</a>, they sell our service much better than we can.If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to check out <a href="www.jobalert.ie">www.jobalert.ie</a> or give us a call on 01 8495003.

Hairdressers, Hotels and B&Bs set to open end of June

Interesting statistics released this week, show that over 33,000 people have closed their claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment in the last week, bringing the number of people who signed off it so far to 108,000. The top 3 sectors in which people returned to work were, 7700 in the Wholesale, Retail Trade &amp; Motor Repairs industry, 5,300 in Construction, 2,500 in Manufacturing and a further 2,400 employees in Accommodation and Food Service activities.In relation to Enhanced Illness Benefit that was introduced for people who have either been diagnosed with COVID-19 or who had symptoms and had to self-isolate, over 11,700 were in the Human Health &amp; Social Work sector, followed by 10,800 in the Wholesale and Retail Trade and 6,800 in Manufacturing.The COVID-19 payments have been extended until end of August and the Government has urged people to sign off when they are offered their jobs back. The easiest way to close a claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is online via <a href="www.mywelfare.ie">www.mywelfare.ie</a> . Any worker returning to work with an enquiry about closing their claim, can contact the department’s dedicated income support helpline at 1890 800 024 (Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm).The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection are continuing to carry out checks to ensure that claims are valid.Full Details can be found below in the Official Department Release Update on payments awarded for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Enhanced Illness BenefitDate: 15 June 2020The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection issued payments valued at €174.6 million to 498,700 people in respect of their application for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). Taking the 517,600 who were paid last week, this represents a decrease of 18,900 on the number of people paid last week. Since last week’s payment, 33,000 people have closed their claim for a Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Of these, 21,900 will be receiving their last payment tomorrow. As well as those availing of the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, there are now over 60,600 employers who have registered with the Revenue Commissioners for the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) with at least one subsidy being paid in respect of over 532,000 people under that scheme since it began. An estimated 400,000 employees are currently being supported by the scheme having received a subsidy in their most recent pay period. The above payments are in addition to the 225,600 people who were reported on the Live Register as of the end of May. Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty today said:“The numbers receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment continue to gradually decline – with the total now dropping below the 500,000 mark. Only a few short weeks ago, there were approximately 600,000 receiving the payment so some progress has been made, but it is also clear that the return to a new normal will be gradual and incremental. That is why I extended the payment beyond its originally planned life cycle into August. My department will continue to monitor the rate of the economy’s reopening, the continuing need for income support and the developing health situation and will develop a number of options for Government to consider before the scheme’s projected end in August.” People returning to workLast week, some 33,000 people closed their claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment of which 27,600 reported that they were returning to work. Of those 27,600 returning to work, approx. 21,900 are receiving their last payment this week. As the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is a weekly payment paid in arrears, there can be a one week lag in how closures, due to people returning to work, are reflected in the payment data. The 21,900 individuals who closed their claim as they return to work are eligible for a final payment, as they were unemployed in the week for which this payment is due. The top three sectors in which employees are returning to work this week are Wholesale and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles with 7,700 back in work, while 5,300 have returned to the Construction sector and 2,500 have returned to their jobs in Manufacturing. A further 2,400 employees are returning to Accommodation and Food Service activities. A full breakdown of the sectors is set out at Appendix 6 below. Looking at the age profile of employees returning to work this week, the largest cohort are those aged 35-44 with 7,100 returning (up from 6,200 last week). There are 5,500 employees aged 25-34 returning this week, up 500 on last week while 4,600 people under 25 are returning to their jobs this week which is up 1,000 on last week. Full details are available at Appendix 7.With the government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business now in Phase Two, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection is instructing workers who are returning to work that they must close their claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). In order to ensure that their claim is processed correctly, workers who will be returning to work must close their claim for the PUP payment on the actual date that they start back at work. Since the commencement of Phase One of the government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, some 108,000 employees have closed their claims and returned to work. The easiest way to close a claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is online via <a href="www.mywelfare.ie">www.mywelfare.ie</a> . Any worker returning to work with an enquiry about closing their claim, can contact the department’s dedicated income support helpline at 1890 800 024 (Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm). COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment ChecksAs is the case, for all social welfare schemes, the department conducts a series of pre and post payment checks for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, including:• integrity checks made against records already held by the department including Public Service Information data and cross checks with payments on other schemes. These help to verify if a person is who they claim to be and that they are entitled to claim payment• a reconciliation process between the department’s payment file and Revenue’s payment file for the COVID-19 Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme• a prior employment status check by comparing all claims for PUP against prior earnings and employment records from Revenue data• as with other welfare schemes, the department contacts recipients to ensure that they continue to satisfy the eligibility criteria of the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment• data analytics• the department’s inspection staff participating with Garda and Customs staff, in security checks on major transport routes and transport hubsTemporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy SchemeThere are now over 60,600 employers who have registered with the Revenue Commissioners for the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS). Workers whose employers have registered them on the scheme are not eligible to receive a pandemic unemployment payment. In addition workers who were in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment but who have now been registered by their employers on the TWSS are no longer eligible to receive a payment pandemic unemployment payment.COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit PaymentThere are now 51,300 people up to age 66 who have been medically certified for receipt of the COVID-19 enhanced Illness Benefit. Approx. 7% (3,627) have been diagnosed with COVID-19 while 93% (47,673) were required to medically self-isolate.Since the beginning of June, 48 people have applied for Illness Benefit as they have been medically certified with having COVID-19 while 452 have applied because they are medically self-isolating.The sector the largest number of employees in receipt of COVID-19 Illness Benefit is the Human Health and Social Work sector (11,700), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (10,800) and Manufacturing (6,800). Full details are at Appendices 8, 9 and 10 below.The department wishes to thank its customers for submitting the majority of applications through our online portal <a href="www.mywelfare.ie">www.MyWelfare.ie</a>. This is the quickest and easiest way to submit an application and enables the department to allocate resources to contacting those who submitted invalid applications.Individuals can close their COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment online at <a href="www.mywelfare.ie">www.MyWelfare.ie</a>.In the interests of the public health advice and the restrictions on movements please if at all possible do not attend your local Intreo Centre as opening hours have now been restricted. Instead please apply through <a href="www.mywelfare.ie">www.MyWelfare.ie</a>. Further Information on statistics available;Analysis of Pandemic Unemployment Payments by CountyPandemic Unemployment Payments by SectorPandemic Unemployment Payments by Age ProfileAnalysis of People who Closed their PUP Claim to Return to WorkAnalysis of Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments by SectorAnalysis of Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments Age ProfileEnhanced Illness Benefit Payments by CountyEnhanced Illness Benefit Payments by SectorEnhanced Illness Benefit Payments Age Profile See the details <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/eed4f-update-on-payments-awarded-for-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment-and-enhanced-illness-benefit/">HERE</a>

Over 100,000 sign off the Pandemic Unemployment Payment

The world has changed in ways we could never have imagined. But despite everything, one thing that hasn’t changed is our commitment and passion to supporting our customers and jobseekers. Throughout lockdown we worked hard to support businesses that were still open and hiring, and we paused Ads for those that were closed. We also issued free Ads, so that these business can continue recruiting when it’s safe for them to reopen. We ran free Ads for the &quot;Be on Call for Ireland&quot; campaign for frontline workers and provided support and information for workers and employers that were negatively impacted during lockdown.Moving forward, we will be there for you all the way, enabling you to quickly and cost effectively fill your vacancies using the very latest technologies.If you need staff please let us know, we would be delighted to help you. If you are a jobseeker, register on our website to receive &#x27;JobAlerts&#x27;, we&#x27;ll help you to find your ideal job.About JobAlert.ieAt JobAlert.ie we use the very latest technologies to reach jobseekers directly through social media. This allows you to engage with both active and passive highly qualified jobseekers in an easy, accessible and affordable way. By passive we mean those potential candidates who may not be actively looking for a new job, but if they see an opportunity in their social media newsfeeds they will apply. This can make a massive difference, particularly for those hard to fill vacancies.We have over 400,000 followers on social media, segmented by county and we also have over half a million website visitors each month. Thousands of jobseekers have signed up to our ‘JobAlert’ on line system, where they are notified about roles that meet their selected criteria.We ensure that businesses of all sizes can attract the best talent. All you have to do is upload the details of your vacancy to our website and our system does the rest. What you can you expect when you advertise with JobAlert.ie- Your job spec is reviewed and we’ll make some suggested changes based on our experience, if you like.- An eye catching unique graphic is automatically produced for use on social media.- Each Job Ad stays live on our website for 30 days.- A digital marketing campaign begins for each Job Ad, as it is shared to relevant audiences on social media during peak traffic hours to ensure maximum exposure. - Ads are automatically monitored and pushed on social media multiple times if additional CVs are required.  - ‘JobAlert’ notifications are sent to candidates who have registered for your specific job type.- You can review, manage and respond quickly to candidates by logging into your JobAlert.ie account and using our inbuilt applicant tracking system.- You will be assigned a dedicated Account Manager who is highly specialised in recruitment and digital marketing.- You will successfully fill your vacancies!There are no hidden fees or yearly contracts, Job Ads are just €149 + Vat and for clients that advertise regularly we also have scaled rates available.We pride ourselves on our follow up service, but don’t just take our word for it, you can read some recent testimonials on our website <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/employers?openTestimonies=true&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=news&amp;utm_campaign=Ad%20Costs#testimonies" target="_blank">here</a>, they sell our service much better than we can.If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to check out www.jobalert.ie or give us a call on 01 8495003.

Covid-19 How we Responded

The Revenue has confirmed that, following an announcement by the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD, it is implementing a change to the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) to accommodate employees returning to work following maternity or adoptive leave.The current legislative rules provide for a subsidy payment based on each employee’s normal net weekly pay for January and February 2020. This means that employees returning to work following maternity or adoptive leave are not eligible for a TWSS payment, where they were not on the payroll on 29 February 2020, or where the employer was not paying wages to the employee who was on such leave in either January or February.Revenue confirmed that the necessary processes to enable employers to receive appropriate subsidy payments in respect of affected employees are expected to be operational from 12 June 2020.Retrospection will apply from 26 March for employees who were retained on payroll by their employers, which will be implemented as quickly as possible by Revenue. For employees who were ceased from payroll and in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), no retrospection will apply as the individual was already in receipt of income support payments. However, employers may rehire these employees and the TWSS will be applied for these cases once their PUP claim has been ceased with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP).Further guidance and information for employers on today’s announcement and how the changes will operate will be available next week on the Revenue.ie websiteRevenue also published updated statistics based on the operation of the TWSS to 28 May 2020. These statistics are published weekly on Revenue’s website. Key information reflected in the latest statistics include:<ul><li>Over 50,500 employers have already been reimbursed for subsidy payments made under TWSS.</li><li>Over 495,100 employees have received at least one subsidy payment since the start of the scheme.</li><li>Over 250,600 employees received a subsidy in the last week.</li><li>Around 410,000* employees are currently being supported by the scheme having received a subsidy in their most recent pay period.</li><li>Over 40,000 people have moved from the COVID Pandemic Unemployment Payment into the TWSS since these Government support measures were implemented at the end of March.</li><li>The value of payments made under the scheme is almost €1,244 million.</li><li>This includes €112 million in tax and/or USC refunds made by employers to their employees through the payroll.</li></ul>* This number will increase as end of month payslips are received for monthly-paid employees.

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