Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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395. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify if workers retiring at 65 years who cannot access the State pension transition from 1 January 2014 and who are eligible for jobseeker's benefit will be subject to the change introduced in Budget 2013 which provides for a reduction in the duration of jobseeker's benefit by three months from 3 April 2013, nine months or six months depending on the number of accrued PRSI contributions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2993/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Jobseeker's benefit (JB) is a weekly payment to people out of work and covered by social insurance (PRSI). If a person does not qualify for JB they may qualify for means tested jobseeker's allowance. In 2012 my Department spent some €737m on the scheme and at the end of 2012 there were some 85,000 persons in receipt of a JB payment.

Budget 2013 provided that the duration for which JB is paid will, with effect from April 2013, be reduced from 12 months to 9 months for recipients with 260 or more contributions paid and from 9 months to 6 months for recipients with less than 260 contributions paid.

The reduction in duration from 12 months to 9 months will apply to new claimants from April, 2013, and existing recipients who, in April, 2013, have been getting JB for less than 6 months. The reduction in duration from 9 months to 6 months will apply to new claimants from April, 2013 and existing recipients who, in April, 2013, have been getting JB for less than 3 months.

Legislation provides that, subject to the person having paid 156 or more qualifying contributions and satisfying the general scheme conditions, a person whose JB expires in their 65th year will continue to be paid benefit up until the age of 66. On this basis, workers who suffer a substantial loss of employment at age 65 will not be subject to the reductions in duration provided they have paid at least 156 qualifying contributions.