Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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159. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated additional cost to reinstate the pre-17 September 2020 payment rates of €203 and €350 for the pandemic unemployment payment for the time period of 1 January to 31 March 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27459/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The cost of reinstating the pre-17 September 2020 rates from January to end-March 2021 is estimated at an additional €148 million.  This estimate is subject to change as trends in the numbers of PUP recipients evolve in the coming weeks and months.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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160. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of persons in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment leaving the State and their payment eligibility. [27464/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I have advised that jobseekers can apply for payment for up to two weeks while on holiday outside the State in line with the General Covid-19 Travel Advisory in operation.  These arrangements apply to travel to one of the countries on the "Green List" where the ‘normal precautions’ security status rating applies as published by the Department of Foreign Affairs.  For countries that are not on the "Green List", people can travel for essential reasons only.

Similar arrangements are applied to the pandemic unemployment payment.

Any person intending to travel should contact their Intreo Centre to discuss their situation.  I trust that this clarifies the matter at this time.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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161. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if recipients of the Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment are eligible to take up a free Springboard course and keep their payment at the same time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27471/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments that pursue courses of education at second or third level.  Government has provided almost €57 million for the Back to Education Allowance in 2020.  This represents a considerable investment in supporting participants to acquire the necessary education and skills to re-enter the labour market.

Under the July Stimulus the back to education allowance has been extended to people who have been in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.  In advance of commencing a full-time SpringBoard course, a person in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will be required to establish an entitlement to a qualifying social welfare weekly payment, generally a Jobseeker’s payment.  A person will be required to transfer from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to the relevant qualifying social welfare scheme to continue to receive income support while pursuing education.

The qualification period will be deemed to have been met for a person transferring from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.  This means someone applying for a full-time SpringBoard course will be deemed to have satisfied the required 9 month qualification period when they transfer from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. 

Any person seeking to return to education should engage with their local intreo office to assess their options.