The assessment of income from insurable employment as means for unemployment assistance purposes was introduced to remove unjustifiable inequities between the treatment of self-employed persons and those under a contract of service. While the income of self-employed persons was taken into account as means, that of employees working under a contract of service, irrespective of the amount, was heretofore totally excluded from assessment. This disparity in the treatment of insured persons working part-time and claiming assistance for the remainder of each week was indefensible when considered in the context of equity.
The new provisions for the assessment of insured income came into effect on 29 July but they have been structured so as to contain an incentive to persons to accept offers of part-time employment. This incentive is provided by the disregard of an amount equal to the maximum daily assistance payable for each day worked plus a weekly amount of £10. For example, a married man with three children working three days a week will have £74.50 of his weekly earnings disregarded. The balance of earnings will then be assessed as means in determining the rate of unemployment assistance for days of unemployment.
I have made inquiries regarding the position of the casual workforce employed at Foynes Docks and the information available to me reveals that certain dockers employed at Foynes are earning between £11,000 and £18,800 per annum or £207 to £360 per week while also in receipt of unemployment assistance. Clearly this is something no one can justify. There are others who have received only short periods of work and whose earnings are correspondingly less.
The whole basis of the unemployment assistance scheme is that persons unable to find employment and who do not have entitlement to unemployment benefit receive a payment from the State, funded out of taxpayers' money and determined on the basis of a means test. The intention of the recent change is that all claimants should be treated in a more equitable fashion.