asked the Minister for Labour if he will clarify whether those people on training courses under the Jobsearch scheme were paid a Christmas bonus; if they would qualify had they remained unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Christmas Bonus.
148.
Because of the link between unemployment assistance and the standard AnCO-FÁS training allowance, I decided that eligible persons (viz. those who had been long-term unemployed immediately prior to participation on an AnCO-FÁS training course, who applied for the bonus and who were certified accordingly by the Department of Social Welfare) would receive a training bonus equivalent to the foregone Christmas bonus under unemployment assistance.
There may be a small number of trainees who had not become classified as long-term unemployed before starting training but who would have been so classified had they remained on the Live Register until the qualifying date. These trainees did not receive the Christmas bonus. The major reason for not giving the bonus in such cases is that the social welfare status of FÁS trainees, including Jobsearch referrals, is suspended for the duration of their training. While they are on a mainline training course they are treated as Class J social welfare contributors, not as unemployed persons. Periods spent on FÁS training courses are therefore not reckonable for the purpose of calculating total duration of unemployment. I have no proposal to change the present position in view of the very considerable implications for the Exchequer and the social welfare system.
I should add that the standard training allowance in FÁS is equivalent to the maximum urban long-term rate of unemployment assistance. Persons previously on short-term unemployment assistance will, therefore, receive an increased weekly allowance after commencing training.