Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Rather, it is about helping people. My Department is here to help people. It takes a common-sense approach. We are trying to help people to get back into the workforce. There are a lot of schemes. There is a requirement under jobseeker's benefit as it stands to be genuinely seeking work. That requirement is just being repeated for the jobseeker's pay-related benefit.

We have 50,000 people on the live register who are signed up to personal progression plans. We are working with them and trying to help them to get back to work, whether that is through the work placement scheme, the back to education allowance scheme or community employment schemes. There are a number of different schemes through which we work with people. My staff in the Department take a very humane approach to dealing with people who find themselves in the unfortunate position of losing their jobs. This is about helping people. It is about engaging with them and giving them that bit of assistance when they need it.