Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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760. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if consideration will be given to granting a request by a person (details supplied) to travel to Romania to visit their gravely ill parent without ceasing their pandemic unemployment payment on compassionate grounds. [22467/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, I have asked my officials to amend the regulations so that people on jobseeker's payments who wish to travel to any of the countries on the green list can do so and continue to receive their payment. For countries that are not on the green list, persons can travel for essential reasons only. For example, if someone is going to a non-green list country, it must be for essential reasons such as a bereavement or health reasons. If such people inform their Intreo office in advance, their payment will not be impacted. As the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is now on a statutory basis as a benefit, it is also intended that these regulations will also apply to recipients of the pandemic unemployment payment who are travelling abroad.

While the person concerned is travelling to a non-green list country, it is accepted that the proposed travel is for essential reasons and their payment will not be impacted.

I hope that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.