John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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297. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the eligibility criteria for a person that is in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment that wishes to apply for a course through a scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29726/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department’s Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and certain others in receipt of social welfare payments who pursue full-time courses of education at second or third level. The main focus of the allowance is to assist qualifying applicants to improve their educational qualifications and their prospects of gaining employment.

The BTEA has 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 before being eligible to apply for the BTEA when pursuing training or education, including SpringBoard. The qualifying period has been waived for people on coming from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. This ensures that those who have lost their employment during the pandemic have immediate access to a range of educational options.

In order to avail of continued financial support while pursuing a full-time course, a person in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment should apply for a jobseeker payment. The BTEA is payable at the jobseekers rate.

Where someone in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment wishes to pursue part-time study, including part-time SpringBoard, they can continue to receive the Pandemic Unemployment Payment while they continue to satisfy the conditions of that payment.

Any person seeking to return to education should engage with their local Intreo Centre to assess their options.

I trust this clarifies the issues for the Deputy.