Noel Ahern
Question:84 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his Department will desist in sending unemployed workers for jobs using the C45 system. [6524/00]
Written Answers. - Employment Support Services.
The C45 system, which has been replaced by the relevant contracts tax system, applies to persons who are self-employed sub-contractors in the construction, forestry and meat processing industries. Primary responsibility for the operation and control of this system lies with the Revenue Commissioners. However, my Department's inspectors make some 7,500 visits each year to employers, many in the industries already referred to, with a view to ensuring that their obligations under social welfare legislation are being met. One element of those inspections is to ensure that the correct class of PRSI is applied to persons found in employment.
My Department has no particular policy requiring an unemployed person to take up employment under the relevant contracts tax system. The conditions for receipt of unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance require, inter alia, that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking employment. To satisfy these conditions, all reasonable efforts must be made to secure suitable, full-time employment or self-employment. Each case is decided on its own merits within the framework of the relevant social welfare legislation.
My Department provides a range of employment support measures to assist unemployed people to return to the workforce. The back to work enterprise allowance is specifically designed to support unemployed people who wish to take up self-employment opportunities. The allowance which is available to those who are signing on for 12 months or more lasts for a period of four years and is paid at the rate of 100% of the unemployment payment for the first year, 75% for the second year, 50% for the third year and 25% for the final year.