Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people in receipt of jobseeker's benefit affected by the budget 2009 announcement in relation to the changes to the maximum duration of their payments; and the steps taken to notify these claimants of the change in their entitlement. [39505/08]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 448: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people in receipt of jobseeker's benefit affected by the budget 2009 announcement in relation to the changes to the maximum duration of their payments; and the steps taken to notify these claimants of the change in their entitlement. [39947/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 and 448 together.

Following changes announced in budget 2009 in relation to the length of time for which jobseeker's benefit will be paid, it is envisaged that in 2009 a weekly average of 2,400 people will be affected by the reduction in duration from 312 days to 234 days and 3,860 people in a full year. A weekly average of 6,750 people will be affected by the reduction in duration from 390 days to 312 days and 9,200 people in a full year. Those affected who are without means may be entitled to a means tested jobseeker's allowance or a supplementary welfare allowance at the same weekly payment rate.

Customers are normally advised 3 months in advance of exhausting their jobseeker's benefit claim. This is to allow sufficient time to undertake a means test where a person wishes to apply for jobseeker's allowance. At this stage those with less than 260 paid contributions and therefore entitled to 234 days of jobseeker's benefit will be reviewed. Some of these may have additional contribution paid during 2008 which would not yet be reflected in the overall total contributions recorded in the Department. Others may have contributions paid in another EU country which could bring their total contributions to 260 or more. Any additional contributions may lead to an increased entitlement from 234 to 312 days duration.