Mary Harney
Question:27 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is considering proposals to reduce benefit payments to unemployed persons who refuse job offers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6212/97]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
As the Deputy is no doubt aware, entitlement to unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance is subject to satisfying certain conditions provided for in law which require, inter alia, that the person concerned is capable of work, is available for work and is genuinely seeking work. Where those conditions are not satisfied, payment of unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance may be disallowed.
Partnership 2000 also addresses the conditionality issue in relation to unemployment payments. Paragraph 4.33 states that
in the context of the focus on unemployment and exclusion, enhancement of the real value of payments to the unemployed is based on the reciprocal obligations of society to provide decent incomes and worthwhile supports in job seeking for the unemployed, and of the unemployed to seek and accept reasonable employment, development and training oportunities.
I am satisfied that the trend of successive significant reductions in the numbers signing on the live register in recent months give reassurance that those reciprocal obligations are increasingly being met. The social welfare system itself is now more and more geared towards providing positive support to people who are making the transition from unemployment to employment. A range of pro-employment measures has now been introduced to this end, including the expansion and enhancement of the back-to-work allowance, the retention of the medical card for three years by the long-term unemployed when they take up work; the retention of child dependant allowances for 13 weeks for unemployed people who take up work; improvements to income thresholds and the calculation of family income supplement; and the easing of requalifying conditions for unemployment benefit designed to be of particular benefit to casual and atypical workers.
Overall, the impact of these measures has been very good. We are now sending out the clear message that, with a combination of social welfare benefits and income from employment, people will always be better off at work.
The Deputy may be assured that I will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure that weekly payments go only to those who are genuinely unemployed.