Written answers
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Department of Social Protection
Social Welfare Benefits
9:00 pm
Áine Collins (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify the reason payments for jobseeker's benefit are calculated on the basis of a six-day rather than a five-day working week. [36408/11]
Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The daily rate of payment of benefit for the contingency of unemployment has always been calculated at one sixth of the weekly rate. This delineation reflects the working patterns that have traditionally applied in the labour market and particularly accorded with the usual experiences of persons who accessed benefit payments during periods of unemployment. Increasingly in recent years the labour market has changed and attendance patterns and requirements have altered also; for example Sunday working has increased substantially when compared to former times. Such developments, and other changes in working patterns and tenure, inform ongoing consideration of the jobseeker benefits system and its place in the current labour market.
Áine Collins (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will advise if a person who is working for three days or less is entitled to claim full unemployment benefit for the days in respect of which they can sign on irrespective of the amount they are earning for the days they are working. [36409/11]
Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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To qualify for jobseeker's benefit, a person must be available for and looking for full-time work, satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions, and have a loss of employment. Once a person satisfies these conditions, jobseeker's benefit is paid for the days that they are unemployed. For each day of unemployment in the week (Monday to Saturday), the person is paid one-sixth of their weekly rate of entitlement. The amount they are earning for the days they are working does not impact on their rate of jobseeker's benefit.
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