(Limerick East): asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will change the eligibility conditions for entitlement to long term unemployment assistance as people in receipt of this payment who leave the live register to take up short term employment or AnCO courses find on their return to the live register that they are placed on short term unemployment assistance for 15 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Eligibility Conditions
35.
Persons in receipt of long term unemployment assistance who sign off the live register may requalify for payment at the long term rate provided a repeat application for unemployment assistance is made within 20 weeks of signing off. Thus an unemployed person who takes up short term employment for less than 20 weeks may resume his entitlement to unemployment assistance at the long term rate on re-application.
The situation in relation to AnCO courses and other specified schemes administered by the Department of Labour is that a person in receipt of unemployment assistance at the long term rate who participates in these courses and schemes for a period of up to one year may resume his entitlement to unemployment assistance at the long term rate.