Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 May 2018
31. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of a jobseeker's payment in Galway city and county who have had their existing payment cut or withdrawn consequent on their decision not to choose the JobPath Seetec route; the number that have had their payment subsequently reinstated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19214/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraPenalty rates are a legal provision within the Jobseeker schemes to ensure that the Department can achieve compliance with Government Activation Policy as stated in Pathways to Work. Legislation provides that sanctions / penalties in the form of reduced payments may be imposed by the Department’s Deciding Officers where recipients of jobseeker payments fail, without good cause, to comply with activation measures. Activation measures include the requirement to attend group information meetings, and / or individual meetings for the purpose of assessing a person’s education, training or development needs, and / or availing of suitable education, training or development opportunities, or specified employment programmes, which are considered appropriate to a person’s circumstances. Reduced rates are only applied where a jobseeker fails, without good cause, to engage as requested with the Department’s employment services including contracted services, having received at least two warnings. The Jobseeker can appeal the Deciding Officer’s decision for reduced rate penalties and for a 9 week disqualification, through the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO).
According to the latest available data the number of jobseekers referred to the Jobpath service in Galway city and county who had a penalty rate applied between November 2015 and 8 April 2018 was 490. The number of jobseekers with a penalty rate in place on 8 April 2018 was 28.
