Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 November 2014
164. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 142 of 4 November 2014, if she will review a jobseeker's allowance payment with a view to reinstating the original amount in the case of a person (details supplied) whose new claim arose from the Department withdrawing their previous payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45020/14]
View answerAs stated in the previous answer to the Deputy, the person concerned had previously been in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance from 20th May 2011 until 15th July 2014. This claim was closed as the Department became aware that she was no longer at her stated address and her whereabouts at the time were unknown. Consequently, when the person concerned made a new claim for supplementary welfare allowance on 16th October 2014, it fell to be treated as a new claim and was awarded at the correct payment rate appropriate to her age in line with current social welfare legislation. There is no provision in current legislation for the person concerned to be paid supplementary welfare allowance at the rate at which she was previously receiving jobseeker’s allowance.
