John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reasoning behind the stepped rates of payment of jobseeker's allowance for those between the ages of 18 and 24 years; the way the age brackets were decided upon; her views whether the system is just in the current economic circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27839/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Receiving the full adult rate of a jobseekers payment without a strong financial incentive to engage in education or training can lead to welfare dependency. While many young people with low levels of education and training were able to get work in construction and other areas when the economy was doing well, they are likely to find it much harder to get work over the course of the next few years. The measures referred to encourage young jobseekers to improve their skills and remain active in the labour market in order to avoid the risk of becoming long-term unemployed and will help them to progress into sustainable employment on a long-term basis.

The €100 rate of jobseeker's allowance was introduced for claimants aged under 20 in April 2009 and this rate was applied to claimants aged up to 21, with a €150 rate applying to claimants aged 22-24, from 31 December, 2009. The extension of the measures reflected the need to encourage more young jobseekers to improve their skills by either pursuing further study or accessing a labour market programme.

There are a wide range of education and training opportunities available to jobseekers through my Department and the Department of Education and Skills to support them in strengthening their qualifications and skills base and thereby maximising their chances of meeting the requirements of the modern labour market and gaining employment.