Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 20: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the changes in the jobseeker's allowance are discriminatory against younger people; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16963/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In order to incentivise 18 and 19 year old jobseekers to avail of education and training opportunities and try to prevent their becoming welfare dependent from a young age, changes are being made to the Jobseekers Allowance. The rate of Jobseekers Allowance that will be paid to new claimants under the age of 20 is being reduced from €204.30 per week to €100 per week, with effect from the first week of May 2009. This decision was made on foot of ongoing consideration of unemployment and incentives policy by Government. It is not discriminatory but rather a targeted measure aimed at protecting young people from welfare dependency.

Receiving the full adult rate of a jobseekers payment at 18 years of age, without a strong financial incentive to engage in education or training, can lead to welfare dependency from an early age. If they do not improve their skills, such young persons are at risk of becoming long-term unemployed from a young age. Therefore, it is considered necessary to provide 18 and 19 year old jobseekers with a strong financial incentive to engage in education or training or to take up employment that pays more than €100 per week.

The fact that 18 and 19 year olds who participate in a FÁS or similar training/education course will get the full rate of the relevant payment (e.g. FÁS training allowance, Community Employment rate or Back to Education Allowance) instead of €100 on Jobseekers' Allowance, should also be a major incentive for such participation. Individuals will be required to access such courses if they are to receive a full rate payment. However young people with dependent children will not have their rates reduced.

Primarily delivered through FÁS, there is a wide range of courses being made available to person aged 18 or 19 years and additional Post–Leaving Cert courses are being made available through Vocational Education Committees. Also, this Department has a range of education and employment supports available to people in receipt of welfare payments. The overall aim is to assist persons to return to the active labour market by enhancing their employability. This is done through the operation of programmes including the back to education and back to work allowance enterprise schemes. In addition the Activation and Family Support Programme and the Second Chance Education Opportunities Scheme offer supports to social welfare customers and other disadvantaged persons including young people aged 18 to 19 to assist them to improve their employability and personal and family situations. Schemes will continue to be monitored in light of the changing economic circumstances to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives.