The Jobseeker's Benefit scheme is a payment available to people under 66 years of age who become fully or partly unemployed and who have paid enough pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contributions. Among the qualifying conditions is that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking full-time work.
The duration of payment for Jobseeker’s Benefit is 9 months (234 days) for people with 260 or more PRSI contributions paid. It is paid for 6 months (156 days) for people with fewer than 260 PRSI contributions paid.
Where a person exhausts their entitlement to Jobseeker’s Benefit, they may be eligible for support under the means-tested Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme. They must also be available for and genuinely seeking full-time work in order to qualify for Jobseekers Allowance.
A person who is over the age of 62 and who is in receipt of a jobseekers payment is not required to engage with the activation process, therefore, they do not have to meet with a case officer in their local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office or sign on monthly. They can of course engage with a case officer if they wish.
In relation to going on holiday, a person in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit who is aged under 65 years may be absent from the State for up to two weeks in a calendar year. He or she is required to inform the Intreo Centre or Branch Office two weeks in advance of his or her departure and to complete the required form.
If the Deputy is aware of a specific case he should advise the person to contact their local Intreo Centre who will advise them further.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
