Vol. 494 No. 5
64 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the proposals, if any, he has to make it more attractive for married people without a child dependant to take up either full-time or part-time low paid temporary work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17680/98]
In general terms, the disincentives to employment for couples without children are substantially lower than those facing families with children.
There are, however, a number of ways in which the social welfare system provides encouragement to couples without children to avail of full-time and part-time employment opportunities.
For instance, in the case of people who have been unemployed for more than one year, the back to work allowance scheme operated by my Department enables such people to engage in employment while retaining 75 per cent, 50 per cent and 25 per cent respectively of their welfare payment over a three year period. For people wishing to engage in self-employment, the period of support is extended to four years, with an allowance equivalent to 100 per cent of their welfare payment payable in the first year. Participants in the scheme are also entitled to retain any secondary benefits held prior to starting on the scheme, provided that gross household weekly income does not exceed £250. I should mention also that the job assist scheme operated by the Revenue Commissioners provides another avenue of support for people who have been unemployed for more than one year and who take up full-time employment.
In so far as part-time employment is concerned, the arrangements for the assessment of earnings from employment for unemployment assistance purposes are designed to ensure that claimants have an incentive to work at all levels of earnings, even where the level of pay is less than the rate of unemployment assistance. These arrangements provide that an unemployed person who works up to three days a week may, subject to the level of his or her earnings, qualify for a reduced unemployment assistance payment for that week. For persons without children, a £10 disregard for each day worked is allowed, while the balance of earnings are assessed at 60 per cent.
I should mention also that since November 1997 regulations provide for the tapered withdrawal of the qualified adult allowance for people claiming unemployment benefit, unemployment assistance and a number of other payments. Previously, the entitlement to the qualified adult allowance was lost once the earnings of the spouse or partner of a claimant exceeded £60. Under the new arrangements, however, the allowance continues to be paid on a sliding scale until the earnings of the spouse or partner exceeds £90, thus providing a greater incentive to such people to engage in part-time work.
I believe in summary that the current system offers a great deal of positive encouragement for couples without children to engage in full-time and part-time employment.
