Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 105: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plan for the forthcoming social welfare budget to address the issue whereby social welfare recipients will be encouraged to accept part-time employment as a first step towards reducing their dependency on welfare payments. [33544/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Department of Social Protection operates a range of employment support measures designed to encourage and support social welfare recipients of working age to reduce their dependency on welfare payments. In addition to income support, supports available include the back to education programmes, back to work schemes and part time work. In addition, a fully integrated nationwide range of services and supports is available to employers and jobseekers through FÁS Employment services, responsibility for which has been transferred to this Department.

In relation to the specific issue raised by the Deputy, the jobseekers schemes provide income support for people who are seeking their first job or have lost work and are seeking alternative employment. A fundamental qualifying condition for both the jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker's allowance is that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking full-time work.

Arrangements currently exists whereby persons who are employed for up to three days in a week may claim a jobseekers payment in respect of the remainder of the week, subject to being available for full-time work.

Also, the part-time job incentive scheme is available to those who were previously on a jobseekers payment for 15 months or more and are now working under 24 hours per week while seeking full time employment. This payment is not affected by the earnings received from the part-time job.

The Department will continue to encourage and support social welfare recipients of working age to reduce their dependency on welfare payments by entering into both part time and full time employment. The National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) process is a key element in addressing the progression needs of those on the live register. It provides an opportunity to explore and access, under professional guidance, a full range of training and employment services, including part-time employment.

In addition, as provided for under the Programme for Government, a new National Employment and Entitlements Service is being established under the management of the Department of Social Protection. The new service will integrate employment and benefit payment services, currently delivered by FÁS and the Department, respectively, within the Department and will be based on a case management approach.

In line with good international practice, this new service will focus primarily on activation with the aim of encouraging and enabling customers to embark on developmental pathways appropriate to their needs - pathways to employment and/or training and/or personal development. The objective of the new service is to offer users a high level, personalised employment support and prioritise the provision of more intensive support for those on the live register who are identified as being most at risk of long-term unemployment. A key feature of the new service will be that customers will be expected to engage with these options in order to retain their entitlement to full benefit payments.

The above developments will inform the deliberative process for Budget 2012.