Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 July 2014
358. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount her Department spent in 2013 on family income supplement, jobseeker's allowance and jobseeker's benefit to workers not in full-time employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32434/14]
View answerJobseeker’s benefit and allowance are not payable to persons working more than three days per week, and, accordingly, are not paid to persons in full time employment. At the end of last June, there were 15,414 recipients of jobseeker’s benefit (32.3% of total) and 47,039 recipients of jobseeker’s allowance (15.9%) engaged in part-time employment of three days per week or less. Expenditure data is not maintained for these schemes by reference to the incidence of part-time employment. Family income supplement (FIS) is payable, subject to certain conditions, to persons with a child or children who are in employment for 19 hours or more per week (or 38 hours per fortnight). Expenditure data is not maintained for these schemes by reference to the number of hours worked per week/fortnight. The Department carried out a sample survey of FIS recipients in September, 2013, in relation to the number of hours worked per week. The survey found the following in relation to the sample examined:
Hours worked by FIS recipients (sample), September, 2013
|
Hours worked |
Number |
Percentage |
|
19 - 25 |
195 |
42.4% |
|
26 – 30 |
33 |
7.2% |
|
31 – 35 |
47 |
10.2% |
|
36 – 40 |
158 |
34.3% |
|
41 + |
25 |
5.9.% |
|
Total |
458 |
100% |
The overall expenditure on each of the relevant schemes in 2013 was as follows:
|
Scheme |
2013 Provisional Outturn - €m |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
3,109 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
560 |
|
Family Income Supplement |
262 |
