Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 175: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a person who is the adult dependent on their spouse's jobseekers payment can take up employment on a Sunday; the effect this will have on their income; the allowance they will receive against their travel to work costs; and the amount they are allowed to earn before it will affect their adult dependent allowance. [24605/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Payment of a qualified adult allowance is dealt with differently depending on whether the customer is in receipt of jobseeker's allowance or jobseeker's benefit.

Jobseekers Allowance

From the 26th September 2007 a new means assessment applies to persons in receipt of jobseeker's allowance. This is based on a family rate of payment which is made up of a personal rate, a full qualified adult rate and full child dependant allowance rate less means applicable. Under the new assessment insurable earnings of the spouse/partner are calculated as the gross earnings less PRSI, Superannuation and Trade Union Subscriptions. There is no disregard for deductions in respect of income tax and Health Insurance premiums e.g. VHI etc. or travel expenses. A disregard of €20.00 a day also applies for each day worked by the spouse/partner up to a maximum of €60 a week inclusive of Sunday and the balance of income is assessed at 60%.

By way of example, if the spouse of a customer were to work on Sunday only and earned €60 (having made appropriate allowances for PRSI, Superannuation and Health Insurance) a disregard of €20 would be allowed in respect of 1 day's work and the balance of €40 would be assessed at 60% i.e. €24 means would be deducted from the family rate for that customer. The family rate for Jobseeker's Allowance is currently, €185.80 personal rate, €123.30 qualified adult rate and €22.00 for each qualified child.

Jobseekers Benefit

The payment of a qualified adult allowance on jobseeker's benefit is based on the income of the spouse/partner. A full qualified adult allowance is payable if the spouse's/partner has weekly income up to or including €100.00 gross. A reduced rate is payable if the weekly income is between €100.01 and €280.00 (gross). No allowance is payable if the income is more than €280.00 (gross).