PUP rates falling "frustratingly slowly" in Kildare, according to Chamber

The CEO of the County Kildare Chamber has said a fall of more than 1,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Payment claimants in Kildare in a week is “frustratingly slow”.

Allan Shine said many of the over 400 businesses the Chamber represents are reporting severe labour shortages.

The Department of Social Protection revealed in its latest Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) report revealed that there were 5,158 people in Co Kildare on the PUP up to last week — the fifth highest county in Ireland.

This total had reduced by around 1,000 over the previous seven days.

Mr Shine said: “Numbers are decreasing in Kildare but at a frustratingly slow rate.

“The Chamber represents 420 businesses in the county and the major challenge our members are reporting to our offices is labour shortages.”

The Chamber has organised a meeting on September 30 with Minister of State Niall Collins who has responsibility for Skills and Further Education and Eileen Cullen, training services manager with KWETB to discuss the challenges that businesses in Kildare face.

Mr Shine added: “The urgent need to skill, re-skill and upskill our existing workforce along with the urgent need to expand work permits is essential for businesses across many sectors.”

The Department of Social Protection has reminded workers who are returning to work that they must close their claim for the PUP on the actual date that they start back at work, in order to ensure that their claim is processed correctly and to avoid incurring an overpayment that officials must recover.