Ms Jackie Harrington:

With regard to the qualified adult and dependant child allowance, pay-related benefit is based on a person's prior income. Along the lines of that is the Covid pandemic unemployment payment rather than household composition similar to earnings that does not impact or take into account the household composition. The rate is based entirely on a person's previous earnings.

As for jobseeker's' benefit, the number of recipients who have adult dependants is approximately 5%. More than 95% of people do not have an adult dependant on their jobseeker's claim and are in receipt of the personal rate. The rate of €450 more or less equates to the current rate of jobseeker's, plus that for a qualified adult, plus that for a child. If an individual does have a real income support, the means-tested scheme will also be available to people if the income need arises but the pay-related benefit is structured differently from the existing schemes.