Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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47. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the increase in the numbers of young persons being refused access to social protection benefit since the introduction of the JobPath programme; his views on whether this is a result of changes in Government policy or the method of implementation of this policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36329/16]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Why has there been an increase in the number of penalty strikes in regard to young people on the JobPath programme who for varying reasons are being described as not meeting their obligations or not trying sufficiently hard to look for work and therefore are in danger of losing some of their social welfare benefits, some of their dole payments? The total number applying was 2,409 in 2015, 3,211 in 2015 and in the first six months of this year, under the Government's new JobPath programme, it was 2,253, a very significant increase. Why has that increase taken place? Does it come from policy? Is it because we are now outsourcing the assessment of that? What is the reason for the significant increase?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Only people who are long-term in receipt of a jobseeker's payment are referred to JobPath. Accordingly, someone who has been refused access to a jobseeker's payment by definition cannot be referred to JobPath.

In order to qualify for a jobseeker's payment, a person must meet certain conditions, including that they are unemployed and are available for, capable of and genuinely seeking full-time work. People who satisfy these conditions and others relating, for example, to means, residency and social insurance contributions will qualify in the first instance for the payment of a jobseeker's income support.

In addition to providing this income support, the Department also provides employment services and supports to unemployed jobseekers and expects jobseekers, who are in receipt of a payment, to engage with these services in order to improve their prospects of securing employment and achieving financial self-sufficiency.

This approach is in line with the principle of rights and responsibilities whereby an unemployed jobseeker has a right to receive income and employment supports from the State, but also has a responsibility to engage with those State services if requested to do so. All jobseekers acknowledge this responsibility in writing when they claim a jobseeker's payment.

Failure of a jobseeker to engage, without good cause, with the Department's services can have consequences for the jobseeker's payments. Legislation provides that a Department deciding officer, and only a Department deciding officer, can apply a reduced payment in certain circumstances.

It is important to note that the decision rules and process for application of a reduced rate of payment are the same across all the Department's services - Intreo, LES and JobPath. In addition contracted providers cannot apply a reduced rate of payment. They can only refer the case for consideration by a Department deciding officer who makes the decision. The process includes written and verbal warnings, and an opportunity for the jobseeker to re-engage with the services prior to the application of a reduced payment.

Currently a total of 1,282 jobseekers are in receipt of a reduced rate of payment. This represents less than 1% of all people on the live register.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I interrupt the Minister to say that the balance-----

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I might just take 30 seconds because I am about to give the Deputy the answer. I am sorry I did not give the answer in the first part.

To date 60,000 jobseekers on the live register have engaged with JobPath. Of these, 499 are on a reduced rate, of whom only 96 are under 25 years of age. Again these figures are under 1% of the people engaged with JobPath.

Given these relatively low levels of reduced payment rates, one cannot draw any meaningful conclusions as to whether engagement with the JobPath service results in a higher rate of penalty application.

To the extent that the data can be interpreted, it would suggest that engagement with JobPath does not increase the likelihood of the payment being reduced than somebody who engaged with Intreo or the LES. This is to be expected as there has been no policy change with regard to the implementation of reduced rates of payment.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Leniency, but 30 seconds rather than a minute.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I do not know if the Minister has ever been on the dole.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I have not.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I was in my early 20s.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I thought the Deputy said the Dáil for a second.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Minister has been in the Dáil all right, but he has not been on the dole. Those who have been on the dole might advocate a different approach. I was on the dole in my early 20s and people find themselves on the dole for a variety of reasons. Simply penalising them for not getting back to work straightaway does not reflect the reality of what it is like to be on the dole. I did not think it was appropriate to cut the dole payment down to €100 - I think that was excessive. It is unfortunate that the young people on the dole did not get the same increase in social welfare that older people got in the recent budget.

More importantly, regarding this question, for some reason the number of young people being hit because they are not complying is increasing. It is not compassionate and does not reflect the reality of the lives of young people. Those on the dole need a bit of help and support, and do not need to be penalised further, as we are doing according to the figures I see.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Somebody who had previously been working and making contributions, in the first instance, should be entitled to jobseeker's benefit, which cannot be cut. That is a legal entitlement for six to nine months depending on the person's length of contributions. Only jobseeker's allowance can be reduced. The penalty rates are being used more frequently than they were in the past. That is not related to JobPath. They are being used more frequently in general by Intreo, LES and JobPath. The Deputy should bear in mind that only Department deciding officers can apply reduced rate. It cannot be done by the JobPath providers or LES. We anticipate about 10,000 penalty rates will be applied this year.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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There are many different reasons. I read the answer to a previous parliamentary question in which the Minister stated that, for example, we do not treat artists differently. For many people engaged in artistic or other community work, it may not suit them at that particular time. It may be right for them to take the dole, maintain a certain bit of freedom and flexibility because it is precarious and they move backwards and forwards. We need to show flexibility across the range of schemes we have.

There are other instances. It is difficult for people on the dole who lose their confidence and cannot ask the question as to what they are doing. I return to the central point I wish to make.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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No, Deputy-----

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Setting up a penalising system for people in those circumstances or one that is increasingly penalising them is not the right approach.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy, please-----

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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We are better off trying to support and encourage them back to work, but not force them back to work.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I reiterate what I said earlier. One of the conditions of jobseeker's allowance is to be actively seeking full-time employment. Other people, who go out to work and pay their taxes, expect those taxes to be used to support people who need that support and are genuinely seeking work. People who have particular difficulties can apply for other payments, including illness payments. On 17 November, 1,282 jobseekers out of approximately 200,000 people on the live register were on a penalty rate. It is not 10% or 5%. Only 1% or 2% of people are on penalty rates. There will always be 1% or 2% who might not engage and not for legitimate reasons the Deputy suggested.