Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 February 2023
120. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the weekly rate of payment for participants on the job initiative scheme; if the scheme is treated the same as community employment Tús and rural social scheme with regard to payment rate top-ups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7567/23]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection operates a number of employment support schemes for long term unemployed persons which also assist communities across the country in the provision of vital services.
Job Initiative (JI) is an employment support scheme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities. Recruitment onto the scheme ceased from November 2004. The Department funds wages for JI team leaders and JI participants along with a grant contribution towards the running costs of the scheme in respect of administration, materials, overheads, training and development.
Community Employment (CE) and Tús are employment activation measures designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support initiative that provides part-time employment opportunities in community and voluntary organisations for farmers or fishermen who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are underemployed in their primary occupation.
Participation on CE, Tús and RSS is part time - 19.5 hours per week, while participants on JI are employed full time for 39 hours per week.
The rate of payment for CE, Tús and RSS participants is related to the underlying value of certain social protection payments plus €27.50 per week. In addition, a participant may be eligible, where appropriate, for payments in respect of any qualified dependent adult and children.
The current rate for JI participants is €495 per week. The JI rate benefits from any budgetary increase in social welfare payments along with any increase in the top up payment and has increased by €75 per week since 2016. The 2023 budget increases, effective from January increased the JI weekly rate from €461 to €495, when the increase in weekly social welfare benefit rates and the increase in the top up payment are taken into account.
JI participants also receive social welfare benefits such as the annual Christmas Bonus and also received the Autumn Cost of Living double week payment in October 2022.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
