Mr. R?n?n Hession:

Bear in mind this is for somebody on less than €150 a week. Based on a minimum wage of €11.30 it would be for someone working 12 hours a week who loses employment. The current system is pay related. The minimum rate applies to anyone who previously earned €150. Believe it or not, this is where the higher replacement rates come in. If people on a very low income, because they are part time and only working ten or 12 hours a week, go onto a jobseeker's payment at €100 and they previously earned €120 they are getting quite a high replacement rate at that level. The €100 is very low but these are not people who were previously working full-time hours. They are unlikely to be the primary earner in the household.