Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 January 2014
124. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide assistance to unemployed persons who are unable to qualify for primary payments because of their spouse's income and are unable to afford and are ineligible to participate in retraining and Department schemes such as JobBridge, Springboard and community employment schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3087/14]
View answerGiven the scale of unemployment and the level of available resources, the key objective of activation policy and labour market initiatives is to offer assistance to those most in need of support in securing work and achieving financial self-sufficiency.
This policy objective prioritises scarce resources to those in receipt of qualifying welfare payments so as to increase their chances of leaving it, thereby ensuring a reduction in Exchequer costs over time. Accordingly the employment services and schemes provided by the Department are focused in the first instance on this cohort of unemployed people. However, many services are available to people who are not in receipt of a social welfare payment.
For example employment services, such as advice on job-search activities and the use of online job search tools, are available to people if they register with the Department's employment services offices regardless of their social welfare status.
Unemployed persons not in receipt of payments may also be eligible to avail of up-skilling opportunities, for example through ETB training for unemployed people. Although not eligible to receive a training allowance while undertaking the course, they may receive some support for expenses on travel, meals and accommodation.
Springboard and Skillnets courses for unemployed people, funded through the Department of Education and Skills, are also open to people who are not in receipt of payment, regardless of their social welfare status.
