Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020
54. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection if the pandemic unemployment payment will continue for third-level students after they enrol for college and university in view of the fact they will still have lost their jobs due to the pandemic; if so, if this will affect a grant they may be receiving; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22607/20]
View answer527. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection if third-level students awarded the SUSI grant who can no longer return to their part-time jobs continue to receive the pandemic unemployment payment. [22657/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 527 together.
As announced under the July Stimulus, the COVID-19 pandemic unemployment payment has been extended until the end of March 2021. I have recently secured agreement of Government to keep the payment open to new applications until the end of 2020. To be eligible for the pandemic unemployment payment a person must have become fully unemployed due to the downturn in economic activity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and he or she is not being paid by their employer. A self-employed person must have suffered a reduction in their income to the extent they are available to take up other full time work if it was available. Any person in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment, including a student, must continue to satisfy the conditionality of the scheme. The Back to Education Allowance has recently 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 at least nine months before being eligible to apply for the scheme when pursuing a third level qualification. This nine month condition is now being waived for recipients of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment seeking to return to education. A person in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is required to apply for a jobseeker payment to access the Back to Education Allowance. The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) Grant, payable by the Department of Education and Skills, represents the primary support for people pursuing third level education and its administration is a matter for that Department. I trust this clarifies the position at this time.
