Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 353: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if jobseeker's payment will be paid directly into a person's account; if all persons claiming jobseeker's payments have to be in the country and sign on once a week; if he is confident that no person who has left the country continues to receive payments on grounds they are available for and seeking work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26396/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Since June 2008, the option of having a jobseeker's payment paid directly into a bank account is no longer offered to new jobseekers. The Department has introduced residency checks for existing non-Irish customers who were receiving a payment to their bank account before the new measures were put in place. Social Welfare Inspectors make periodic un-notified home visits to these customers to confirm residency.

In general, people in receipt of a jobseeker's payment must be resident in the country, collect their payment weekly in person at a designated post office and sign on monthly. If the payment is not collected by the customer within the week, it is cancelled and they must then go to their local Social Welfare Office to have it reissued. This arrangement minimises the risk of abuse and overpayment of benefits.

However, certain categories of jobseekers who work for a portion of a week, such as casual workers or those on systematic short-time, receive their payment weekly by cheque for operational reasons. New EU Regulations, introduced with effect from 1st May 2010, allow for the continuation of payment for 13 weeks by this Department directly to the claimant while they are abroad. The jobseeker is subject to the control procedures operated by the Member State in which they are seeking work and the Department is notified if the customer is not adhering to these procedures.