Finian McGrath
Ceist:107. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding welfare rates (details supplied). [41208/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 27 September 2012
Ceisteanna (107)
Freagraí scríofa
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:
- claimants with a qualified child;
- those transferring to Jobseeker's Allowance immediately after exhausting their entitlement to Jobseeker's Benefit;
- those making a claim for Jobseeker's Allowance where that claim is linked to a Jobseeker's Allowance claim made within the previous 12 months to which the maximum personal rate applied;
- those transferring directly to Jobseeker's Allowance from Disability Allowance;
- certain people who were in the care of the HSE during the period of 12 months before he or she reached the age of 18.
A rate of €144 applies to claimants aged 22-24. The adoption of these measures reflected the need to encourage more young jobseekers to improve their skills by either pursuing further study or accessing a labour market programme.
Receiving the full adult rate of a jobseeker’s payment without a strong financial incentive to engage in education or training can lead to welfare dependency. While many young people with low levels of education and training were able to get work in construction and other areas when the economy was doing well, they are likely to find it much harder to get work over the course of the next few years. The measures encourage young jobseekers to improve their skills and remain active in the labour market in order to avoid the risk of becoming long-term unemployed and will help them to progress into sustainable employment on a long-term basis.
Where a person is in receipt of a rate of jobseeker's allowance described above and he or she participates in a course of education, training, community employment, rural social scheme or Tús, 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 have engaged in constructive dialogue with Focus Ireland with regard to their concerns. As part of this work Focus Ireland has recently supplied my Department with details from their network organisations of relevant individual cases.
This information is currently being examined and my Department will engage in further discussions with Focus Ireland. These discussions will seek to achieve a satisfactory resolution of any issues arising in respect of these persons, while also preserving the integrity of the social welfare system and avoiding any potential drift towards welfare dependency.