Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 57 together.

In his previous role as Minister for Social Protection, the Taoiseach gave a commitment on Report Stage of the Social Welfare Bill 2016 in the Dáil that he would ask officials to examine the issue of jobseeker’s benefit and the treatment of part-time and seasonal workers, including those categorised as having subsidiary employment. My officials have recently completed a report on these issues which I am considering in detail.

To qualify for jobseeker’s benefit, a person must be unemployed, be available for and genuinely seeking work, have had a substantial loss of employment and as a result be unemployed for at least four days out of seven every week. The jobseeker’s benefit scheme provides significant support for individuals who can work up to three days a week and receive a jobseeker’s payment.

Seasonal work can be full time, part time or casual, depending on the type of work involved. A seasonal worker who is employed on a full-time basis would not be entitled to a jobseeker’s payment while in that seasonal employment. Contributions paid during this time can be used to re-qualify for jobseeker's benefit, subject to scheme conditionality.

My Department operates a fast-tracking system for customers who sign-off on their jobseeker’s allowance or jobseeker’s benefit claim to take up work or a training course for a period of up to 12 weeks, which reflects the seasonal nature of the work in some instances.

In these cases, the claim is not closed but payment is suspended temporarily for the duration of the work or training course. When the person signs on again after the period of work or training, the claim can be reactivated without delay and payment restored. Where a person exhausts his or her entitlement to jobseeker’s benefit, he or she must pay 13 additional PRSI contributions after the last day of payment in order to re-qualify. The 13 contributions needed to re-qualify for jobseeker’s benefit can be paid in respect of full-time employment, seasonal employment, part-time employment or casual employment. If a seasonal or a part-time worker meets this requirement, he or she may re-qualify for jobseeker’s benefit. If a person does not re-qualify for jobseeker’s benefit or has used up his or her entitlement to jobseeker’s benefit, he or she can apply for jobseeker’s allowance.

It is important in the interests of equity and fairness that the conditions for receipt of a jobseeker's payment apply to all recipients, including those who could be categorised as seasonal and part-time workers.

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