Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 415: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will review the rules that currently apply to social welfare disallowance for persons on jobseeker's benefit which require the sacrifice of a day's benefit even for a tiny number of hours worked on an individual day and which disqualify applicants if they have some work on three or more days; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4207/09]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 419: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if, in an effort to assist persons claiming unemployment assistance or benefit, she will consider an option (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4445/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 415 and 419 together.

The Jobseeker's Benefit scheme provides income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative employment. A fundamental qualifying condition for the benefit is that a person must be available for full-time work.

Under the Unemployment Benefit system a week is considered to be six days. Sunday is not considered part of the working week and any work done on Sunday is not reckoned when deciding entitlement.

The benefit is only payable in respect of days of unemployment, therefore it is not payable in respect of any day during which the person is engaged in insurable employment irrespective of the extent of the employment (number of hours worked), or the remuneration, or profit. Where a person is employed for up to three days in a week, s/he may claim Jobseeker's Benefit in respect of the remainder of the week, subject to being available for full-time work.

In this context, the development of any scheme involving local authorities would be a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in the first instance.

The application of the jobseekers payment scheme conditions to workers who are not employed on a full-time basis is being kept under review.