Written Answers. - Community Employment Scheme.
Brendan Smith
Ceist:
272
Mr. B. Smith
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if his attention has been drawn to the fact that people who complete their participation on a community employment scheme lose their secondary benefits such as fuel allowance, Christmas bonus and butter vouchers when they sign on the live register; the proposals, if any, he has to eliminate these anomalies; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21859/97]
Michael Finucane
Ceist:
275
Mr. Finucane
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if his attention has been drawn to the unfairness that a person (details supplied) in County Limerick is ineligible for a Christmas bonus having worked on the community employment scheme and regards it as an unjust decision and if he will ensure that this matter is rectified.
[21905/97]
Michael Finucane
Ceist:
276
Mr. Finucane
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the number of participants in community employment and other training programmes who are eligible for the Christmas bonus payment; the number who are deemed ineligible as they are paying class A contributions for this payment; and his views on the situation where many of the participants were not aware when they decided to participate in the schemes that they would be debarred.
[21906/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 272, 275 and 276 together.
The Social Welfare Act, 1996, provided for the extension of class A PRSI to community employment workers. Class A PRSI provides cover for the full range of benefits and pensions available under the social insurance system including, for example, unemployment benefit, disability benefit, maternity benefit, retirement pension, old age (contributory) pension, widow's (contributory) pension, treatment (dental and optical) benefits and occupational injuries benefit. The purpose of this measure was to enhance the PRSI status of community employment workers and to put them on a par with other class A workers. In the case of persons who qualify or requalify for unemployment benefit their earnings in the relevant tax year will determine whether or not they receive a graduated rate or the full rate of unemployment benefit. Persons entitled to a reduced or graduated rate of unemployment benefit are entitled to claim unemployment assistance if it is more beneficial to them. However, long-term unemployment assistance is not payable where the claimant is entitled to full rate unemployment benefit, as is the case with the person concerned. The social welfare secondary benefits, including the Christmas bonus, are payable only with long-term social welfare payments. Unemployment benefit claimants do not therefore have an entitlement to these benefits.
Secondary benefits can however, be retained if the person transfers from a community employment scheme to a back-to-work allowance scheme or jobstart etc. As regards income-related secondary benefits such as rent allowance or mortgage supplements and the back to school clothing and footwear allowance available under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, medical cards and differential rents, the position is that, in the normal course, former community employment workers who are solely dependent on a social welfare payment should continue, where appropriate, to receive these benefits.
While the difficulties faced by CE workers who requalify for unemployment benefit when their period of CE finishes are recognised the Deputies will appreciate that it would not be possible to introduce special concessionary arrangements for such people without having equal regard to the position of other short-term social welfare payment recipients. Any such concessions would, accordingly, carry an extremely high cost and could only be considered in light of available resources and in the light of other priorities.
While the responsibility for the payment of the Christmas bonus to people who are participating on CE schemes and other FÁS training schemes rests with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, it is understood that all current scheme participants are receiving the bonus payment and that the fact that they may be paying class A social insurance contributions does not affect that entitlement.
