Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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564. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she plans to change the rules relating to the pandemic unemployment payment by allowing recipients to continue to receive this payment while partaking in a one-year full-time education course to widen their skills level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9588/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Back to Education Allowance scheme (BTEA) is a full-time education support available to jobseekers to enable them to take up full-time education opportunities while continuing to receive income support related to standard jobseeker schemes.

Ordinarily a person must be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for a minimum period, which is generally between 3 and 9 months, before being eligible to apply for the BTEA. As an exceptional measure, this scheme was extended as part of the July Stimulus in response to Covid-19 whereby the qualification period for Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) recipients is waived in these cases. This ensures that those who have lost their employment during the pandemic have immediate access to a range of educational options.

Where a person in receipt of PUP wishes to apply for BTEA, they are required to transfer to a Jobseeker’s payment. The rate of BTEA will be linked to the individual’s qualifying social welfare rate of payment. This ensures consistency with other jobseekers undertaking similar types of courses.

Whereas the PUP is short term in nature, the BTEA can provide longer term income support which can be provided for the duration of an education course, depending on an individual’s circumstances.

Where someone in receipt of jobseekers’ payments or PUP wishes to pursue short-term or part-time study, they can continue to receive their payment, including PUP.

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

I hope that this clarifies the position for you.