Helen Keogh
Question:40 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total number of people currently in receipt of unemployment assistance at the maximum rate and at reduced rate where means are been held.
Written Answers. - Unemployment Assistance Statistics.
Unemployment claims are decided at local office level and comprehensive data in relation to the numbers in receipt of maximum and reduced rate unemployment assistance are not available. Local offices are currently being computerised, and when this process is complete, comprehensive data on payment rates will become available.
A recent sample survey of computerised offices indicated that some 77 per cent of the claimants in the sample are in receipt of unemployment assistance at the maximum rate. This sample which is based largely on offices in urban areas, cannot be regarded as representative of claimants at a national level. However, it is most probable that the greater majority of recipients are being paid at the maximum rates.