Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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459. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current status of the jobseeker’s benefit application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19226/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Jobseeker's Benefit claim for the person concerned has been awarded with effect from 01/02/2024 at a rate of €232.00 pw.

The first payment , including arrears may be collected from the nominated post office on 29/04/2024.

Notification has issued to the person concerned on the 24/04/2024.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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460. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for an update on the proposed jobseeker’s benefit pay related scheme; when in particular it is expected to be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19247/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I secured Government approval last November for the design proposals for a new Jobseeker's Pay Related Benefit scheme and approval for the draft Heads of Bill on 9th January this year. The Heads of Bill containing the General Scheme for the new scheme are published on my Department's website.

The Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the islands completed the pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Bill in March and published its report on the Oireachtas website.

I plan to bring a Memorandum and the Bill to Government in the coming weeks. My Department is working on the necessary arrangements to facilitate the introduction of the scheme later this year.

I trust this clarifies the situation for the Deputy.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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461. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of payments made, per county, for each month of 2024, for additional needs payments and exceptional needs payments, by category, in tabular form. [19271/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements.

Additional Needs Payments are demand led and made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.

Table 1 shows the number of Additional Needs Payments, monthly, by county from Jan 2024 to the end of March 2024.

Table 2 shows the number of Additional Needs Payments by category from Jan 2024 to the end of March 2024.

Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Tabular Statement

Table 1 – Additional Needs Payments awarded by county from Jan 2024 to the end of March 2024

Table 2- Additional Needs payments awarded by category from January 2024 to the end of March 2024