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Homeless Persons

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 July 2012

Tuesday, 17 July 2012

Ceisteanna (9, 10)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

23Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review a matter regarding jobseeker’s allowance for young persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34957/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

27Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that young persons who have experienced homelessness are in need of emergency accommodation (details supplied); and the steps she will take to respond to this situation. [34947/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí ó Béal (15 píosaí cainte)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 27 together.

The €100 rate of jobseeker's allowance was introduced for claimants aged under 20 in April 2009, and this rate was applied to claimants aged up to 21 from December 2009. The €100 rate does not apply to certain categories of claimant, including those who were in the care of the HSE during the 12 months before they reached the age of 18. A rate of €144 applies to claimants aged 22 to 24.

The adoption of these measures reflects the need to encourage more young jobseekers to improve their skills by either pursuing further study or accessing a labour market programme, thereby reducing their risk of becoming long-term unemployed. The aim is to assist young jobseekers to progress into sustainable employment on a long-term basis. Where a young jobseeker is in receipt of a reduced rate and he or she pursues further study or accesses a labour market programme, the full normal rate of payment applicable to that course or scheme applies without any reduction for persons aged under 25.

I understand that Deputies have been contacted with regard to these measures following a campaign by Focus Ireland. My officials and I have met Focus Ireland on its concerns. These are being examined and further discussions are planned.

More generally, Deputies may wish to note that the Department, through its work in the homeless persons unit and the asylum seekers and new communities unit, provides assistance to persons in sourcing the most appropriate accommodation available.

There are many obscenities to the austerity agenda one of the worst of which is homelessness and of that, the worst of all is youth homelessness. There are approximately 1,000 homeless in the Dublin city area. The number has increased dramatically and the homelessness organisations estimate that 100 young people sleep alone on the streets at night in Dublin.

The Fianna Fáil Government, in one of its most disgusting cuts, cut social welfare for young people. This has contributed directly, not to job creation but to driving many young people out of the country and also into homelessness.

The Deputy should frame a question.

My question to the Minister is simple. Whereas a person in the care of the homeless services retains his or her full social welfare, a person who becomes homeless between the ages of 18 and 24 does not get the full social welfare payment and, consequently, becomes trapped in homelessness because even if the person finds private rented accommodation and gets rent supplement, the person's income is so low that he or she cannot pay the rent. As a result, it becomes more difficult for the person to access work because he or she must give as an address a homeless hostel. What we are asking simply is that any young person who, at any point between the ages of 18 and 24, becomes homeless should be given the full social welfare entitlement so that he or she can get out of homelessness and can access other accommodation.

My objective as a Minister is to ensure as far as possible that no young people in society go onto social welfare and that we provide a pathway for young people who may not be able to find work to continue to expand their education and training and to take up training positions and places from among the various options and opportunities we have laid out. I cannot stress enough how important it is that young people should not be encouraged to go on social welfare and that they should be encouraged into an alternative of work and to become involved in education and training, and improving their skills and qualifications so that eventually they can become financially independent.

In the budget, we provided specifically that young people leaving care would have arrangements through the HSE. The homeless unit, in dealing with young people who become homeless, is acutely aware of the difficulties that befall young people in that situation. The focus of public policy should be to encourage such young people into education and training or to take up options for the development of their skills. As I said, if they do that, they then get a full rate of payment - that is what actually applies. I would prefer to avoid sending out any kind of signal that would do other than encourage young people to stay in education and training or go into employment. We do not want young people to find themselves in a position in which they become homeless and then probably enter into a very difficult period in their lives, where their chances of becoming financially independent are limited.

I cannot believe I am hearing this from a Labour Party Minister. This is the Michael McDowell school of economics - if we have inequality and if people are downtrodden, this will somehow act as an incentive for them to get a job.

Does the Minister understand the question? People who are homeless as a result of whatever circumstances led them into homelessness are trying to get out of homelessness and they are being prevented from doing so because, even if they access private rented accommodation and get rent supplement, the low level of social welfare income provided for them under the jobseeker's allowance - because of the cuts imposed by Fianna Fáil - means they cannot take up that accommodation and get onto the next step of the ladder to try to access employment and get back into society. The question is simple. For those between the ages of 18 and 24 who are homeless and trying to access homelessness services, will the Minister review the situation and give them the full social welfare entitlement of €188 so they can get out of homelessness, access private rented accommodation and, from there, apply for jobs? It is very difficult to apply for a job from a homeless hostel.

The most important thing for young people is to give them a future.

They have no future on the streets.

To imply, as the Deputy does, that the future for young people is contingent upon their becoming dependent on social welfare over a long period of their lives is wrong. In all my experience down the years - I have always lived in the centre of Dublin and am very familiar with people who become homeless - the most important thing-----

Is to cut their social welfare.

-----is to get those people as quickly as possible back into education, training, support, workshops and community employment schemes. Many people who become homeless, as I know and I am sure the Deputy is aware, have a complex series of problems. What they need is a helping hand in regard to accessing education and training and getting their lives back together.

What about a roof over their heads?

If they take up the options that are there, they will get a full rate of payment. I went to very specific efforts to ensure the needs of people who are leaving care are specifically provided for. As well as having long experience with people who have become homeless, I have had an opportunity to sit down and discuss this with people from Focus Ireland. They agree it is important that we, as a society, develop a pathway for young people who are either at risk of homelessness or have actually become homeless to get them into positive routes such as training and education.

We all agree with that. What about the ones who are homeless?

What I am saying to the Deputy is that I expect him to perhaps encourage young people he may know in this situation to take up the options of education and training. This is very important for their future. We have some good options and opportunities available.

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