Vol. 483 No. 1
105 Mr. Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason a person receives £1.90 less for their dependent spouse while on a FÁS scheme compared to the amount they receive on unemployment assistance; and the plans, if any, she has to change this anomaly. [19928/97]
Participants in community employment receive a personal allowance which is pitched at a slightly higher level than their previous social welfare entitlements. Participants can also qualify for additional allowances in respect of an adult dependant and-or dependent children if they had such an entitlement under their previous social welfare claim. As an employment scheme, CE pays a personal rate above that which a participant would otherwise receive on social welfare, as an incentive to participate.
For reasons to do with anti-poverty measures dependant allowance for persons on unemployment assistance and unemployment benefit are somewhat higher than those paid on community employment. However, the total payment to a CE participant is generally higher than he-she would receive as an unemployment payment. At present a CE participant with an adult dependant receives £124.85 per week compared to an entitlement of £107.50 per week for a person with an adult dependant on unemployment assistance.
