Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am coming at the issue from a slightly different approach. A constituent of Deputy Halligan who has been unemployed for a long time, along with 7,500 people at any one time, essentially do a one-year community contribution because almost everyone who is on Tús is working and contributing something in his or her local community. That is one of the reasons the scheme is so popular. The individual is earning €422 in social welfare plus a medical card, a fuel allowance for six months of the year of €20 a week, and the back to school clothing and footwear allowance for his children going back to school. Because the individual in question is employed for 19.5 hours, a small amount of PRSI is paid on the total package, which will build up the individual's entitlements in terms of social protection and ultimately and importantly result in a State retirement pension. If he was working in a private job and earning that money he would be paying the same amount in PRSI. I will talk to the Minister for Finance because he sets the rate of PRSI. Deputy Halligan might even raise the matter with the Minister for Finance when he gets an opportunity. The Tús scheme is very successful. I hope the man enjoyed his participation on it.

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