Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 September 2020
661. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons on the Covid-19 payment and job seekers will lose payments for holidaying in Ireland on a staycation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21189/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra662. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to reconsider the policy of ceasing the pandemic unemployment payment and other social welfare payments in cases in which the recipients have travelled abroad for non-essential purposes in view of the serious concerns raised by civil liberties organisations and the Data Protection Commissioner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21195/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra689. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the precise regulations in relation to the pandemic unemployment payment and jobseeker's payments; and if there are self-isolation or quarantine issues with regard to travel overseas either to green list countries or to non-green list countries (details supplied). [21656/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 661, 662 and 689 together.
My Department announced that people who are in receipt of a jobseekers payment who wish to travel to Green List countries can do so without their payment being affected.
Legislation to put the Pandemic Unemployment Payment on a statutory footing has been enacted and regulations in relation to payment while absent from the State will bring the Pandemic Unemployment Payment into line with the jobseeker’s benefit scheme. These regulations will provide that a person in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment can apply for payment for up to two weeks while on holiday outside the State. These arrangements apply to travel to one of the countries on the Green List (countries on this list are subject to change) as published by the Department of Foreign Affairs. The ‘Green List’ is published by the Department of Foreign Affairs and can be viewed on www.dfa.ie or www.hse.ie.
For countries that are not on the Green List, people can travel for essential reasons only, such as a bereavement or health reasons. Any person in this situation is advised to contact their Intreo Centre in advance and their payment will not be impacted.
When applying for holidays inside or outside the State, customers should apply in advance to their local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office and complete the UP30 form. My Department has put in place a review mechanism for people who feel they have been adversely affected by the revised travel provisions and who wish to have their claims reviewed. People can contact the Department at info@welfare.ie to request such a review.
Revised guidance will issue to staff in my Department to provide further clarification to them on the matter.
I trust that this clarifies the matter at this time.
