Social Welfare Code

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 November 2015

Tuesday, 3 November 2015

Questions (217)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

217. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views, that it is problematic for recipients of social welfare payments to provide proof to her Department of their actively seeking employment, when the vast majority of companies do not send acknowledgments of employment applications; that there should be a statutory requirement on companies to at least send an acknowledgement to persons applying for a position, regardless of their success in applying; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37851/15]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

It is not necessary for a customer to have an acknowledgement of an application for a particular job from a company in order for them to demonstrate that they have made efforts to find employment.

Where a customer is genuinely seeking work they can easily demonstrate this to my Department by being able to explain or show that they have made oral, written or on-line applications for work to employers or persons who have advertised job offers on behalf of an employer.

A customer can also satisfy the requirement of being genuinely seeking work by being able to show that they are actively researching job opportunities through searches of employers’ advertisements in newspapers, enquiries with employment agencies and/or use of on-line recruitment sites.

Customers who are genuinely seeking work must agree a personal progression plan with a case officer and avail of all reasonable training opportunities offered to them.

A statutory requirement to acknowledge all job applications would be an unreasonable imposition on employers who may not have the necessary resources to do so in all cases.