Red Faces In Hols U-Turn

Humiliation as Govt move feared illegal. Green list countries no longer banned

- Pat Flanagan

The Government has been forced into a humiliating U-turn by allowing those on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to travel abroad on holidays.

The about-face came after it emerged the ban on traveling for those receiving State unemployment support could be illegal.

As a result of the pressure, the Government will no longer cut people’s Pandemic Unemployment Payment if they travel to countries on the green list.

So far there have been 85 cases of the benefit being lost due to travel.

The decision is a huge embarrassment to Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys and came just 24 hours after she reiterated the ban was here to stay and “you need to be in the country” to get the money.

Ms. Humphreys said the policy would be changed so that people who travel to the green list countries will not be affected.