Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 805: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on whether it is equitable that a person designated a full-time student who has nevertheless been in employment for three days per week for over two years has been denied entitlement to jobseeker's benefit having lost her job, despite the fact that they paid class A PRSI during their part-time employment; if she will review the requirement that only persons available for full-time employment are entitled to jobseeker's benefit or alternatively review the PRSI payable by part-time employees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11714/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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To qualify for jobseeker's benefit a person must be available for full-time work. Where a person is only available for part-time employment they do not satisfy this condition.

In recognition of the changing labour market, a group was set up under the Expenditure Review process to examine the application of the jobseeker's payment scheme conditions to workers who are not employed on a full-time basis, including those available for part-time work only. The group has delivered its report and its recommendations are currently being examined.

Adoption of the recommendations would involve significant changes to the jobseeker's benefit scheme in that they would allow for payment of benefit in respect of a day where a person is employed for part of that day.

Implications would also arise for persons who work Sundays as part of their normal working pattern. There would also be a number of significant knock-on effects requiring careful consideration in the areas of information technology, administration and budgetary considerations.

In the present economic climate I am not in a position to bring forward proposals to extend the jobseeker's benefit scheme to workers who are only available for part-time work. Neither is it possible to reduce the PRSI contribution for workers who, for the time being, do not satisfy the conditions to qualify for a particular Social Welfare scheme.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 807: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of letters have been sent by her Department to deceased persons advising them of the new system of electronic social welfare payments and of the distress this is causing to the bereaved families who receive these letters; the steps she will take to ensure these incidents do not recur; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11747/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department supports Government policy which aims to facilitate the greater use of electronic payment systems in the economy in the interests of developing a world class payments environment in Ireland. Our payment strategy is designed to ensure that cost effective arrangements are in place for making payments to social welfare customers by using a range of payment options and to ensure that new payment facilities are made available to customers as they arise. Currently some 81% of customers receive their payment electronically direct to their post office or financial institution.

In February and March 2009 a letter was sent to some 100,000 recipients of Carer's Allowance, Invalidity Pension and Disability Allowance informing them of the change from payment by Personalised Payable Order (PPO) book to payment by means of a social services card at their local post office.

In issuing these types of large mailshots, every effort is made by the Department to ensure that letters are not sent out in the name of people who have passed away. System checks are in place to prevent this from happening. However, in a small number of isolated cases letters may issue in error. I regret any distress caused to the families of deceased persons and assure the Deputy that every effort is made to prevent letters issuing in error.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 808: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when the planning section of her Department will come up with recommendations in regard to the issue of persons who are in receipt of family income supplement where their working pattern has changed (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11767/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Family Income Supplement (FIS) provides income support for employees on low earnings with families. This preserves the incentive to remain in employment in circumstances where the employee might only be marginally better off than if he or she were claiming other social welfare payments.

Qualification for payment under this scheme requires that a person must be engaged in insurable employment for a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight or 19 hours per week. A couple may combine their hours of employment to meet the qualification criteria. FIS is calculated on the basis of 60% of the difference between the income limit for the family size and the assessable income of the person(s) raising the children. The combined income of a couple (married or unmarried) is taken into account. Improvements to FIS include the change of assessment from a gross income to net income, the increase to €20 per week in the minimum payment and, in recent years, the re- focusing of income thresholds to include additional gains for larger families.

An integral feature of the scheme is that, once the level of FIS payments is determined, it continues to be payable at that level for a period of 52 weeks provided that the person remains in employment.

Furthermore, Social Welfare Legislation provides that both FIS and Jobseeker's Benefit/Assistance cannot be paid to a person in respect of the same period.

Changes to the FIS scheme since its introduction have allowed it to remain responsive to changing employment patterns. However the Department is mindful of the recent increase in more varied work pattern arrangements. In the context of FIS, such employment arrangements give rise to a number of legal and administrative issues which are receiving careful and urgent examination by the Department.