Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 424: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a person who applies for unemployment assistance following a period of working as a taxi driver can be obliged by her Department to dispose of the plate as a condition of their approval; and the way such applicants who can no longer make a living at the taxis can demonstrate their eligibility for unemployment assistance as they undertake their search for alternative employment, as in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [4782/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned claimed Jobseeker's Allowance on 14 November 2008 at North Cumberland St. Local Office. Jobseeker's Allowance (JA) is a means-tested scheme, which means that the person must satisfy qualifying conditions and pass a means test to see if he/she qualifies for payment.

The person concerned is self-employed as a taxi driver since 2004. He advised the Social Welfare Inspector in December 2008 that he was off sick for 3 months during 2008 and he claims that he last worked on 15 November 2008. He has not kept accounts for 2007 or 2008. He has insurance for his taxi up until April 2009. He agreed that he can continue to work as a self-employed taxi driver whenever he wishes. There has been no suggestion made that he has to dispose of his taxi plate. Accordingly, he is being assessed as a self-employed taxi driver.

His JA claim has been disallowed. The Local Office wrote to him on 10 December 2008 to advise him that his weekly means have been assessed at €300. As his weekly means were greater than the weekly rate of payment due for JA at that time, that is, €197.80, he was advised that he is not entitled to a JA payment. He was advised that he could appeal this decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office. He has now submitted an appeal and this is being processed at present.

It is open to the person concerned to claim Supplementary Welfare Allowance if he feels that his income is insufficient for his needs.