Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 February 2021
474. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she is taking to address the issue of jobseeker’s benefit expiring for workers in the aviation industry who have been put on short time for the duration of the pandemic; if an allowance will be made to extend jobseeker’s benefit for these workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7988/21]
View answerJobseekers Benefit is a statutory scheme which is available to people who have lost their employment and who satisfy the scheme's statutory conditions including the requirement to have paid sufficient social insurance contributions.
The benefit is paid for 234 days (or 9 months) to people who have paid 260 or more PRSI contributions and for 156 days (6 months) to people who have paid less than 260 contributions.
Where a person has exhausted their entitlement to Jobseeker's Benefit for their days of unemployment they may apply for support under the means-tested Jobseeker's Allowance scheme. As with jobseeker’s benefit, a recipient of jobseeker’s allowance may engage in reduced employment.
Any person who is experiencing financial hardship may also apply for support under the means tested Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.
I trust that this clarifies the position.
