Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 7 November 2019

Public Accounts Committee

2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 37 - Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Chapter 12 - Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 13 - Timeliness of Income Support Claim Processing
Chapter 14 - Customer Service - Development of Income Support Application Forms

9:00 am

Photo of Marc MacSharryMarc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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As to what is not possible, can I ask Mr. McKeon to investigate it, because these are four headings that are very important, namely, the percentages of full-time employment, part-time employment, people who went back on the live register, and those who went on to other income support schemes, like disability, carers, etc.

All of us here and indeed anybody in the political business will have constituents who have become unemployed recently coming into us and expressing frustration that they cannot apply to participate in schemes like community employment placements or third level back to education schemes because they have to be on the live register for a year, or they cannot be considered for the job initiative scheme for the same reason. Should the employment supports kick in earlier, so that those so inclined do not become complacent on being on the live register, or lose confidence in their ability to work? Has the Department carried out any research on the most appropriate time to interact with people who become unemployed?