Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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148. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person on the pandemic unemployment benefit is entitled to take up a full-time study as an undergraduate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31801/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The 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 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.  The qualifying period has been waived for people coming from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).  

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

Where an individual in receipt of PUP wishes to pursue part-time study, they can continue to receive their payment while they continue to satisfy the conditions of the scheme.

Any person seeking to return to education should engage with their local Intreo Centre to assess their options. I trust this clarifies the position.  

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The current position in relation to the pandemic unemployment payment is that it can be paid concurrently with certain social assistance payments, including disability allowance.  The pandemic unemployment payment is not assessed as means.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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150. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an issue (details supplied) in respect of the pandemic unemployment payment earnings and social protection assistance for the taxi sector will be addressed. [31840/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Budget 2021 introduced an earnings threshold of €480 per month for self-employed people who are in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.  The threshold limit is based on gross income minus trading expenses and before tax and PRSI are deducted.  The measure will allow a self-employed individual to take up occasional work opportunities and still retain their full Pandemic Unemployment Payment.

Where a person exceeds this threshold and is engaging in regular limited self-employment, access to the Part-Time Job Incentive has been extended to those who transition from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.  Under this scheme, a self-employed recipient of the Pandemic Unemployment, for at least 16 weeks, can engage in self-employment for up to 24 hours per week and retain a personal weekly rate of payment of €128.60.  A self-employed jobseeker with a qualified adult can be paid €209.70 per week.

A self-employed person may also be eligible for support under the COVID-19 Enterprise Support Grant which provides support of up to €1,000 with business re-start costs where a person transitions from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment back into employment.  Budget 2021 has provided that this support will be extended until 2021.

These measures apply to all eligible self-employed recipients including those operating as taxi drivers. I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.