Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 8 May 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection

EU Employment Legislation and JobPath: Discussion (Resumed)

12:15 pm

Mr. John McKeon:

If the Deputy looks at the numbers - I do not have them in front of me - approximately 0.6% of jobseekers are being managed at any point in time and are on a penalty rate of payment. It is a very low number. Previously at this committee and at the Committee of Public Accounts, I cautioned about this because I understand and I hear the concerns. I get a lot of these calls, as the Deputy does. I am not suggesting the Deputy is doing it but we have to be careful about creating a narrative that it is widespread and that it is everywhere because it is not.