Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 June 2015
51. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of reversing the lower age-related rates of jobseeker's allowance and supplementary welfare allowance for young persons and restoring the maximum rate of €188, regardless of age. [25512/15]
View answerReduced rates for younger jobseeker's allowance recipients were first introduced in 2009. Budget 2014 further extended the reduced rates of jobseeker's allowance to recipients under 26 years of age. This is a targeted measure aimed at protecting young people from welfare dependency. It aims to incentivise young jobseeker’s allowance recipients to avail of education and training opportunities. If a jobseeker in receipt of the reduced jobseeker's allowance rate participates on an education or training programme they will receive a higher weekly payment of €160.
Based on data from April, 2015 the additional full year cost for my Department of providing a weekly rate of €188 for all Jobseeker's Allowance and €186 for all Supplementary Welfare Allowance recipients aged 25 and under is some €144 million. However, it should be noted that such an increase will also have cost implications for the Department of Education and Skills as it will impact on the allowances paid by the Education and Training Boards. Any change to provision in this area would be a matter for Government to consider in a Budgetary context.
