Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2020
979. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the entitlements students that had signed contracts for summer internships which have now been cancelled have in terms of social welfare payments; and her plans to assist students in summer 2020 that are out of work due to the Covid-19 pandemic. [7803/20]
View answer987. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide for a financial support package to a cohort of persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7932/20]
View answer996. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the options open for persons registered and studying with an online course, for example, in a college (details supplied) in which they are being classed as full-time students by her Department but are available to work and have been advised that there is no option for making a social welfare payment available to them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7997/20]
View answer1000. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a specific emergency social protection payment will be introduced for international students that are not eligible for the pandemic unemployment payment and do not have a PPSN or are not able to find work in view of the fact that the exceptional needs payment does not adequately address the precarious situation they are in; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8039/20]
View answer1016. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on enabling full-time students that cannot get usual part-time or seasonal employment due to Covid-19 temporary access to the jobseeker's allowance or a comparable allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8213/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 979, 987, 996, 1000 and 1016 together.
The COVID 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment was introduced in March 2020 as a time-limited emergency measure to meet the surge in unemployment which resulted from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. The conditions for receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment are that a person must be of working age between 18 and up to 66 years old, have been in employment immediately before 13th March and have lost their income from employment. A student who satisfies these conditions, including an international student, is eligible for this payment.
Where a student was due to take up an internship or seasonal work but was not actually in employment they would not be eligible to receive the COVID-19 pandemic unemployment payment. It would be impossible to construct a scheme based on claims of potential or prospective but unrealised employment, particularly in an environment where the economy was operating at full-employment with many unfilled vacancies prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Where a student is experiencing financial hardship they can apply for financial support under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. In order to access this support, a Personal Public Services Number (PPSN) is required. The Department has temporarily postponed the SAFE registration process, carried out in local offices of the Department, in respect of people applying for a Personal Public Services Number (PPSN). This decision was taken in order to comply with guidelines in respect of social distancing. As a result of the postponement of the SAFE process, an email and postal service has now been introduced. Detailed information on this service is available on www.gov.ie.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
