The legal rights organisation, FLAC has said the Government's rules on PUP claimants and travelling abroad are not legal.
In a statement, Ms Barry said FLAC had been contacted by a number of individuals and NGOs in relation to the issue. Ms Barry said their assessment of the department's policy, based on the circular was that while the legislation may allow for the suspension in relation to Jobseekers' benefit, it did not allow the department sweeping powers to suspend or close other payments including the Covid PUP.
Ms Barry also said the department's policy also implied that those self-isolating after returning from abroad were not entitled to payments because they were not available for work. And she said it was doubtful that all social welfare claimants who followed the advice to self-isolate could automatically be deemed not to be seeking work or to be unavailable for work.