Vol. 441 No. 8
55 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will review the terms of the part-time job allowance in view of the fact that it provides no return from working as illustrated by the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5.
The part-time job incentive scheme is a nationwide scheme designed to allow persons who are in receipt of the long term rate of unemployment assistance to take up part-time employment of up to 24 hours per week. Participants are paid a fixed weekly amount, £37.80 in the case of single persons and £62.10 for married persons. This payment is unaffected by earnings. Currently over 500 persons have availed of the scheme.
Payments under the part-time job incentive scheme are taken into account in addition to insurable earnings in determining whether a mortgage interest supplement is payable. Payment of the mortgage interest supplement to the person concerned is under review by the community welfare officer and he will be informed of any revision in due course.
The scheme is a valuable component of the array of schemes available for the long term unemployed. The fixed payment available under the scheme allows unemployed persons an opportunity to investigate work opportunities which, over time may develop into full-time employment.
