asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will incorporate 16 and 17 year olds who are not involved in formal education into a social welfare payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Unemployment Assistance for Young Persons.
23.
Persons aged 16 years or over who are in employment are covered by the social insurance system. If they become unemployed they may sign on the live register and they would qualify for unemployment benefit if at least 39 contributions have been paid in respect of them. Otherwise they would be eligible to sign for credited contributions.
Persons under 18 years are not entitled to claim unemployment assistance. The Commission on Social Welfare in their report stated that they would not support any form of income maintenance which could, in any way, encourage young persons to leave the education system prematurely. To have a social welfare scheme for persons aged under 18 years with no previous attachment to the labour force could have that effect. It would also have very significant financial implications.
There is provision whereby the various benefit and assistance payments made by my Department and the health boards include increases in respect of dependent children until they reach the age of 18. Also supplementary welfare allowance, while not normally paid to those under 18, could be paid if the health board is satisfied that the young person is living away from home and is in need of financial assistance.
The training and other services of FÁS are available to young unemployed people aged 16 to 18. In addition the Ministers for Labour and for Education recently introduced a new Youthreach programme to assist early school leavers. This programme is aimed at those unqualified school leavers who leave the educational system without doing any examinations and who are still unemployed after six months. The programme offers such young persons up to two years further training, work experience and vocational preparation. During this time they receive the usual FÁS allowances. It is expected that up to 3,000 places will be available on this programme during the coming year.