Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. The first issue she raised relates to the PUP. As I stated, I am considering various options in terms of the PUP as the economy reopens. I am discussing it with my Government colleagues and I will be in a position to make an announcement in early June. We are working very hard on it and I am conscious of several issues that we are taking into consideration.

As regards the fuel allowance, it is paid to 372,000 low-income households. In 2020, an increase of four weeks was provided on a once-off basis. Although I understand these are difficult times, especially for the vulnerable, any further measures have to be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources. In this regard, it is important to note the scale of the support provided throughout the pandemic, with more than €7.6 billion paid out on the PUP alone. Budget 2020 increased the fuel allowance by €3.50 per week from January 2021, ensuring recipients benefited from the increased payment through the winter. Finally, exceptional needs payments may be made to help meet once-off costs, including heating costs.

In terms of the short-time working support, where a person has been temporarily placed on a shorter working week, he or she may be entitled to part-time jobseeker's payment or short-time work. As the Deputy stated, several workers in the airline sector have been availing of some of these supports. Where a recipient of jobseeker's benefit is working for part of a week, the amount of jobseeker's benefit he or she is paid is based on a five-day week. This means that for each day the person is employed, one fifth of the normal rate of jobseeker's benefit is deducted from his or her payment. The jobseeker's benefit payment week is calculated on a six-day week, with one fifth deducted for each day worked. The sixth day is an unpaid day but counts towards the cumulative total each week. The duration of the payment of jobseeker's benefit is nine months or 234 days for people with 260 or more PRSI contributions. It is paid for six months or 156 days for people with fewer than 260 PRSI contributions. It is a fundamental feature of the Department's range of benefit payments, including jobseeker's benefit, that the payment is time-limited. Time limits apply across a range of PRSI-related schemes, such as maternity benefit and illness benefit. Where a person exhausts his or her entitlement to jobseeker's benefit short-time work support, he or she may be eligible for support under the jobseeker's allowance scheme. The Department will contact recipients of jobseeker's benefit short-time work support ten weeks and four weeks in advance of the expiry of their payment.

As regards the blind pension, it is a means-tested payment. We can examine the means test in the context of the budgetary process. I accept the Deputy's point that if one is blind, one is blind for life, but we have to examine the issue because there are other medical conditions that, unfortunately, are also life-long conditions. I will consider the issue.

On victims of domestic violence, the pilot scheme will run until the end of the year. It has been a valuable scheme, especially in terms of providing support to victims of domestic violence such that they did not have to remain in the premises or in a very difficult situation. It is something that I very much support and I will certainly be looking at it towards the end of the year.

On the issue of the employability scheme, last Monday I met those running one of the schemes in my county and had a good long chat with them about the wonderful service they provide. One thing that struck me is that those running the employability scheme place people in jobs but it is the follow-up they do that is really important. If there are problems between the employer and the employee, they are able to facilitate addressing those issues. That is key to their success because they have been doing really good work. Some of those with whom they are dealing are long-term unemployed and vulnerable people and I take this opportunity to thank them for their work, as did the Deputy. As the Deputy is aware, we are expanding several schemes and I hope to publish the request for tender for the expanded schemes very shortly. The employability scheme goes to the end of the year. We have no plans as yet in that regard but, as the Deputy is aware and as I explained to the staff running the scheme, because of procurement rules we will have to put it out to tender in due course. At this point, the employability scheme continues. Just as the scheme is encouraging people to have the confidence to find new work and take up employment, those running it should have the confidence that they are well able to bid for this work. I am very confident, given their track record, the work they do and their involvement in the community, that they have a very good chance of winning the contracts.

I take the Deputy's point regarding the widow's pension in the context of partners. Last year, I increased the grant that get widows and surviving civil partners get. It is a once-off payment of €8,000. It had not been increased for many years. When a person is bereaved, it is a very difficult time for him or her. I was of the view that there is a lot of expense involved now with funerals and such things, so I increased the grant by €2,000 to €8,000. It is available. I take the Deputy's point. We review all our schemes to make sure they are suitable and meet the needs of citizens. As the Deputy can imagine, the legal context governs relationships such as marriage. It is regulated by the Minster for Justice. I suppose I will have to speak to her as well. The status of marriage and civil partnerships is a much broader policy area than its implications in this regard. I will certainly consider the issue.