Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the criteria for claiming jobseeker's benefit and allowance on a part-time basis; if he will outline the reduced payments made available for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35412/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To qualify for jobseeker's benefit or jobseeker's allowance:

A person must be unemployed for at least three days out of six consecutive days (excluding Sunday), and must be available for and genuinely seeking work;

For jobseeker's benefit, a person must also have a loss of employment and satisfy the social insurance contribution conditions;

For jobseeker's allowance, a person must also satisfy a means test and the habitual residence condition.

If a person becomes fully unemployed, or if their working week is reduced, jobseeker's benefit or allowance is payable provided they satisfy the above conditions.

The weekly rate of jobseeker's benefit is based upon the person's earnings in the governing contribution year (GCY) of the claim. The GCY is two years previous to the year of the claim. The full personal rate of jobseeker's benefit is €196. A reduced personal rate applies if the earnings of the person were less than €300 in the contribution year that governs their claim.

Jobseeker's benefit is based upon a six day week. One sixth of the weekly rate is payable for each day of unemployment so long as all the conditions as outlined above are satisfied. Employees who are temporarily put on short-time working and who have a repetitive work pattern are dealt with differently. In these cases, the total number of days worked and jobseeker's benefit paid cannot exceed five days in any week. For these customers, the daily rate is one fifth of the weekly rate.

In assessing means for jobseeker's allowance, account is taken of any cash income a person may have, together with the value of capital and property (except a person's family home). The means assessment is based on a weekly family rate which is comprised of a personal rate (currently €196), a full increase in respect of a qualified adult (currently €130.10) and a full increase in respect of a qualified child (currently €29.80) less full means.

The insurable earnings of both the claimant and his or her spouse/partner are assessed in the same manner. An earnings disregard of €20 per day applies to the customer and spouse/partner up to a maximum of 3 days a week. The balance is assessable at 60%. If the means of the family are equal to or in excess of the family rate payable on jobseeker's allowance, the claim is disallowed.