Moloney raises plight of self-employed who have lost work

The plight of self-employed persons who, through no fault of their own or as a result of the recession, have seen their businesses go belly-up was raised in the Upper House by Labour Senator Marie Moloney.

She said they are no longer in self-employment and some of them cannot access Jobseeker's Allowance as they have property or their spouse is working. “We also have women in the home whose children have reached the age of 14 years,” she said. “They are no longer in receipt of homemaker's credits and would like to get back to work. We have college students who are looking for their first job such. They cannot sign on until September even though it is acknowledged that they have finished college. In many cases, their parents do not want them to sign on because they think it would be bad for them. They want them to look for a job instead. There are, therefore, a number of people who are, in fact, unemployed but not registered.”

In particular, Senator Moloney urged that attention be given to women in the home. A number of years ago she said a course was set up by FÁS for women who wanted to return to work having reared their children. The course helped them re-enter the workforce. A similar course should be introduced.

In response, Minister of State Kevin Humphreys said  when the resources available to help people who are unemployed find work are constrained it makes sense that the State should allocate those resources, in the first instance, to those people upon whom it imposes an obligation to look for work.

“Having said that, many services are also available to unemployed people who are not in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment, regardless of their previous employment or self-employment status,” he said. “For example, employment services, such as advice on job search activities and the use of online job search tools, are available to people if they register as jobseekers with the Department’s Intreo centres, regardless of their social welfare status. In addition, unemployed persons not in receipt of payments may also be eligible to avail of upskilling opportunities, for example through an education and training board, ETB, formerly FÁS, training for unemployed people.”