Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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498. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the case of a person (details supplied) will be addressed. [25329/20]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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546. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if time spent on a Covid-19 payment will be allowed as a qualifying period for VTOS courses and studies; if there have been discussions with the Department of Education in relation to the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25499/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 498, 546 and 563 together.

The Back to Education Allowance has recently been extended as part of the July Stimulus in response to Covid-19. Ordinarily a person must be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for a minimum period of time before pursuing training or education. This condition is now being waived for recipients of the pandemic unemployment payment seeking to return to education, including VTOS courses. This provides that those impacted by the pandemic have training and education options available to them for the upcoming academic year.

If a person currently in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment wants to apply for Back to Education Allowance, they can now choose to transfer to a Jobseeker’s payment. Their rate of Back to Education Allowance payment will be linked to their qualifying social welfare rate of payment. Whereas the pandemic unemployment payment is short term in nature and scheduled to cease at the end of March 2021, the Back to Education Allowance provides long term income support which can be provided for the duration of an education course and which can extend for up to 3 or 4 years depending on the individuals circumstances.

There is also an annual Cost of Education Allowance of €500 available to participants of the Back to Education Allowance scheme who have one or more dependent children.

Any person in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment and seeking to return to education should contact their Intreo Centre to discuss the options available to them including access the Back to Education Allowance.

I trust this clarifies the matter.