Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 Jan 1997

Vol. 473 No. 4

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Pat Upton

Question:

459 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social Welfare the steps, if any, he is taking to ensure that it will no longer be necessary for couples to split their claim in an attempt to provide better access to employment schemes for both partners. [25306/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The position in relation to the various employment and training schemes operated by my Department, including the back-to-work

allowance, the third level allowance and the second chance education schemes, is that they are specifically targeted at people on the live register.

The live register includes people claiming unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance and people entitled to sign for credited contributions. Any unemployed person, male or female, who is capable of, available for and genuinely seeking work is entitled to make a claim for unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance. In order to qualify for payment, the person must also satisfy contribution conditions in the case of unemployment benefit or a means test in the case of unemployment assistance. People may also maintain their record of PRSI contributions by signing on for credited contributions provided they have had a recent record of paid contributions.

The majority of training schemes aimed at unemployed people are administered by FÁS and the relevant qualifying criteria are a matter for that agency and for the Department of Enterprise and Employment.

The Deputy may be aware that my Department has prepared a special fact sheet entitled "Signing on the Live Register" which outlines how to access unemployment entitlements and answers the key questions in relation to schemes, training courses, educational schemes and the live register.