Katherine Zappone (Independent) | Oireachtas source

If I had a disappointment that the Tánaiste or the Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection was not here to take this motion, it has dissipated because I have never had the opportunity to have an exchange with the Minister of State, Deputy Ann Phelan.

I am asking the Minister to outline her view on whether the three-day rule to calculate availability for work under the rules for jobseeker's allowance is too restrictive and blunt an instrument for its purpose, and whether there are any plans to review this rule and the timeframe for same. As the Minister of State, no doubt, is aware, under the current rules a person who works for three full days a week is entitled to payment for two days of jobseeker's allowance whereas a person who works for one or two hours a day for five days a week is not entitled to any jobseeker's payment. Is it not reasonable and fair that a person who works eight hours a week should be considered to have worked the equivalent of a full day and is entitled to four days of jobseeker's payment?

A mother who is a leader in my community in Tallaght west contacted me on this issue. I know her personally, she is an extraordinary leader and volunteered at board level with An Cosán, the organisation in west Tallaght with which I am associated. She has been working part-time for 12 years, for nine hours a week. She was allowed to supplement her one-parent family payment with her earnings from her part-time work, but since her child is now over 18 years, she no longer qualifies for the one-parent family payment. She needed to register for the jobseeker's allowance and was initially disqualified, as many other women are, because she was working five days a week although she only worked nine hours. Her nine hours of part-time work were spread over five days. As a consequence she has had to give up her part-time work to receive jobseeker's payment. Even for one woman, that is a tragedy, not to mention the significant number of women this is impacting on now and will impact on in the future. Is this rule beneficial:? Will it help to get her into full-time employment or halt her progress towards full-time employment? I am afraid that in Ireland the three-day rule regarding part-time work simply does not correspond to the reality of people's - women's - opportunities to participate in the labour market and the characteristics of part-time work. This is largely a women's issue, though I understand it impacts on men as well.

The labour market is changing and especially women's access to employment has become more fragmented with lower pay, fewer hours and less job security, a key point made by Professor Jill Rubery at the recent ESRI Geary lecture. Many women who were previously in receipt of the one-parent family payment do not qualify now as their children are over 14 years of age and do not qualify for the payment of the jobseeker's transitional payment. There are major barriers to re-entering full-time employment after a significant period spent outside of it. There should be supports available for these women to re-access the labour market rather than restrictions to accept work. I imagine that the Tánaiste, in particular, is very keen on these issues.

I believe that part-time work provides a positive attachment to the labour market and hence should not be discouraged among long-term jobseekers who are genuinely seeking full-time employment. This is impacting on thousands of women and some men throughout the country. I would appreciate the Minister's consideration for the issue and an update if any review has taken place.