Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 198: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on incentivising participation in voluntary work abroad by allowing unemployed persons to take up such activities without losing their eligibility to participate in employment schemes on their return. [40752/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Eligibility to access employment schemes such as Community Employment or JobBridge require participants to be in receipt of a social welfare payment for a prescribed period of time. This requirement exists as there is a significant cost to the State in the provision of these schemes. In addition, it is important from an activation perspective that the link is maintained between employment schemes and individuals who are currently in receipt of a social welfare assistance payment.

It should be noted that approximately 60% of individuals who first receive Jobseekers Allowance/Benefit actually sign off the Live Register within the first three months. It is envisaged that reducing the eligibility period to access employment schemes will decrease the number of people who would have left the Live Register or other social welfare assistance payments and consequently result in increased costs to the Exchequer. In essence if the eligibility to participate in an employment scheme was removed or amended this would significantly increase the deadweight costs to the State and may lead to those identified as in need of a place being displaced by others. That is why I would not be in favour of allowing individuals retain their eligibility to participate in an employment scheme if they went abroad.