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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 4 Mar 1999

Vol. 501 No. 5

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

29 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason his Department interprets the regulations of family income supplement to mean that persons entitlements cease if they are no longer working for the required 38 hours per fortnight, even for a brief period, when the regulations clearly state that payment continues for 52 weeks regardless of changes in circumstances, apart from an increase following the birth of a child or if persons claim another social welfare payment, for example, unemployment benefit or assistance. [6438/99]

The family income supplement, FIS, scheme is designed to provide an incentive for low paid workers with families to take up or remain in full-time employment.

An integral feature of the scheme is that, once the level of the FIS payment is determined, it continues to be payable at that level for a period of 52 weeks provided that the claimant continues to satisfy the conditions of the scheme. One of the qualifying conditions for the scheme is that the claimant must be an employee in remunerative employment for 38 hours or more every fortnight and which is likely to last for at least three months.

Where a claimant does not continue to be engaged in employment for the minimum period of 38 hours every fortnight, he or she is no longer entitled to benefit from the scheme.

If the Deputy has a particular case in mind, perhaps he would let me have the details and I would be pleased to have the case in question investigated and to advise him of the position.
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