Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 February 2004
139 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of unemployed persons who have availed of new measures allowing the collecting of unemployment benefits at any location within the EU. [4033/04]
View answerI assume the Deputy is referring to the new measures concerning the export of unemployment benefits, agreed by the EU Council of Ministers in early December. These changes form part of the wider reform of Regulation 1408/71 which deals with the application of member states' social security systems to persons moving within the Community.
The change in question represents a significant improvement on the present situation whereby these persons would have to return to Ireland after three months if they have failed to locate employment. In addition, these persons will receive their benefit directly from my Department, via electronic transfer while abroad, rather than having to turn up at an employment exchange in the other member state as at present.
At present persons seeking employment in another member state are entitled to receive unemployment benefit for a maximum period of three months once they register with the employment services of the other member state. Payment of benefit is made by the member state in which the unemployed person is looking for employment and that state is subsequently reimbursed by the home state. In addition, unemployed persons can only avail of this arrangement once between two periods of employment.
In the course of its examination of the Commission's proposals for reform of the present regulation, the Council of Ministers, in order to improve the conditions for unemployed persons looking for a job in another member state, agreed that the period during which a job seeker can look for work and retain his entitlement to unemployment benefit from his home state may be extended from three months to six months.
Second, to ensure that the unemployed person will be in a better financial situation while looking for employment, it has also been agreed that the payment of benefit in such cases will in future be made direct to the job seeker instead of through the competent authority of the other member state. Practice has shown that the current procedure sometimes delays the payment of benefits to unemployed person. In addition, the unemployed person may retain his/her benefit entitlement for up to three months between two periods of employment. This may be extended up to six months by member states who allow for the export of benefit for this maximum period.
This easing of the restrictions in relation to the export of unemployment benefit makes the idea of mobility within the European labour markets a greater reality for all EU citizens. The new regulation was recently presented to the European Parliament for its second reading. It is my intention, as part of our Presidency programme, to reach a co-decision agreement with the Parliament on this wide-ranging reform before the end of Parliament's term in May 2004. The new regulation would come into effect once the necessary implementing provisions, have also been agreed, by the Council, and the European Parliament.
