Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I came across somebody who was on the PUP. They have a low education level and were working in the events industry. They wanted to go on a one-year course to upgrade their skills. They were not long enough on it to get the back to education allowance, and if they went on a full-time course, they could not retain the PUP, and we checked that. If they went on a part-time course, they could.

Could that rule be amended to allow people to undertake courses, although not degree courses because we would hope that they will return to work, because there are industries in which people have sustainable jobs to which they will return but, as the Minister will know, upskilling is always a big advantage? The events, arts and culture industries are unlikely to be back in full swing for at least a year, especially as they relate to large outdoor and indoor events, unless some miracle happens. Will the Minister consider allowing people in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment whose employment is in an industry that is unlikely to recommence within a year or in the short-term and who want to upskill to do a course? There seems to be an unnecessary barrier preventing these people from bettering themselves.