I secured Government approval last November for the design proposals for a new Jobseeker's Pay Related Benefit scheme and approval for the draft Heads of Bill on 9th January this year. The Heads of Bill containing the General Scheme for the new scheme are published on my Department's website.
The Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the islands completed the pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Bill in March and published its report on the Oireachtas website.
I plan to bring a Memorandum and the Bill to Government in the coming weeks. My Department is working on the necessary arrangements to facilitate the introduction of the scheme later this year.
I trust this clarifies the situation for the Deputy.