Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

181. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if persons on jobseeker's payment that go abroad for a holiday will have their payments affected in view of SI No. 242 of 2020; if the instrument applies to countries on the green list; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17912/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In normal circumstances, jobseeker payments provide flexibility for a person, going on holidays, to leave the State for two weeks. During this period the standard conditionality of being available for work would be suspended.

In light of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, my Department introduced regulations which require that any such holiday arrangements must comply with the Covid-19 General Travel Advisory in operation by the Department of Foreign Affairs. That continues to be the position today.

Exceptions may be made for people travelling for urgent family reasons - for example, where there is an illness in the family.

I trust this clarifies the matter at this time.