Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 39: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will elaborate on her recent comments that if persons object to a number of reasonable offers of employment, they could face having their payments cut; and if she will outline these new rates. [10527/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The jobseeker's schemes provide income support for people who are seeking their first job or have lost work and are seeking alternative employment. A fundamental qualifying condition for the jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker's allowance is that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking full-time work.

To satisfy this condition, it is necessary for the person to demonstrate that he or she has taken some positive action and is making genuine efforts to secure employment. If a person fails to satisfy this condition his or her claim will be disallowed. In addition, an unreasonable refusal to accept an offer of suitable employment may also lead to disallowance.

A key objective of the Government is to offer a high level of appropriate employment support and to prioritise the provision of more intensive support for those on the live register who are identified as being most at risk of long-term unemployment. This will be achieved through the use of proactive approaches and modern case management systems.

The national employment action plan, NEAP, is the main activation measure for jobseekers and provides for a systematic engagement of the employment services with unemployed people. The national employment action plan process is a key element in addressing the progression needs of those on the live register. It provides a stimulus to job search and affords an opportunity to explore, under professional guidance, the full range of employment and training services offered by FÁS.

As one pillar of this overall approach, reduced rates were provided for by the previous Government in the Social Welfare Act 2010, which will encourage jobseekers to improve their skills to avoid the risk of becoming long-term unemployed and help them to progress into sustainable employment on a long-term basis. The intent of the reduced rates is to ensure compliance with the activation processes. Basically, there is a right to a payment but also a matching responsibility on the unemployed person to engage with the system.

The reduced rates, which apply to personal jobseeker's payments, may be implemented where a jobseeker refuses an appropriate offer of training by an officer of my Department; refuses, or declines to avail of, an offer of training from FÁS; declines an intervention under the national employment action plan; does not attend NEAP meetings with a FÁS officer; drops out of the NEAP process.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House:

The relevant legislation provides safeguards for the social welfare recipient in terms of the reasonableness of the intervention being offered. In common with many social welfare provisions, the new measures allow for discretion on the part of a deciding officer, as an offer of training, education or employment must be viewed in the context of a person's circumstances. Where a customer has been subject to the reduced rate, the normal rate of payment will be restored from a current date when the person subsequently engages with the NEAP process or takes up offers of training that were made.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am glad the Minister supports this provision of the Social Welfare Act 2010. The Minister's briefing document states that administrative arrangements are currently being put in place with a view to introducing these rates very shortly. What is meant by "very shortly"? When will she make an announcement on this? This legislation was enacted in 2010 and arrangements are being put in place. It is up to the Minister to decide on these rates, when they are to be introduced and how it will work.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

With regard to the first part of his question the relevant legislation came into force in January 2011. However, for operational reasons the application of the provisions commenced in April 2011. I understand that currently a very small number of claimants are subject to the provisions. The number of people who have been affected so far amounts to seven. I remind the Deputy that people are made reasonable offers with regard to a placement, training or education or engagement with the process. The Department is seeking to assist people to become active in a sphere of appropriate interest to them. In the case of a person who fails to engage or to respond, the claimant's personal rate for the jobseeker's allowance will reduced from the full rate of €188. The Act made provision for the rate to be reduced by €44 and in the case of supplementary welfare allowance by €42.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

That answers my question. As the Minister says, the rates have been established.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Yes, the rates were established by the previous Minister when the legislation was introduced. I wish to be clear on this matter. The vast majority of people who are registered as unemployed are anxious to find work and to return to work. However, it is equally important that, for instance, a very young person does not regard being on social welfare as a lifetime option. It is not good for them nor for their children and it is usually not very good for their community.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The transfer of FÁS to the social protection area is welcome. How might this improve the situation? What measures has the Minister taken to make this integration happen quicker and be more visible?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I have been a public representative for nearly 20 years, having been a volunteer and activist knocking on doors. People have always raised the point about a one-stop-shop which would allow them go to one location to access the full range of their entitlements. The community welfare officers and the employment services division of FÁS will be integrated into my Department. In this way we can build a one-point of access service which is integrated. People will not be required to go to three different offices in pursuit of entitlements and signing the register will happen in tandem with thinking about how to get back into employment. This is the system in Scandinavia where there is no delay in offering back to work training or education. This is my vision for the Department and this is my work plan.