Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a claim for jobseeker's allowance claim in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 was suspended; and the reason this person was not notified of this prior to this action. [12735/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The person concerned is employed casually and each week is paid a jobseeker's payment, by cheque, in respect of days on which she is unemployed. She should submit dockets on a weekly basis upon which the number of days worked is stated. Cheques are then issued when the docket is received from the client. However, if the docket is not received or is late in arriving at the Local Office, the payment is then suspended. This client has been on casual payments since 28th August 2008 and since then has had payment suspended nine times due to late submission of dockets. This includes the most recent suspension referred to in the Question.

This system of payment is explained in full to clients when they commence signing and also when a suspension occurs due to non-submission, or late submission, of dockets.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will give consideration to a proposal whereby persons on the live register and in receipt of jobseekers payments can avail of a Social Welfare holiday for a time limited period in order to allow them seek employment overseas and whereby on their return they would still have the same benefits available to them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12752/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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An unemployed person may qualify for jobseeker’s benefit or jobseeker’s allowance. Jobseeker’s benefit is based on a person’s social insurance record and jobseeker’s allowance is based on weekly means. A fundamental qualifying condition for a jobseeker’s payment is that a person must be available for full-time work.

Under EU Regulations, in certain circumstances a person on jobseeker’s benefit may retain payment for a period of up to 13 weeks, while seeking work in another EU Member State. However, it is not possible to transfer jobseeker’s allowance in the same way.

Jobseeker’s allowance is listed by EU Regulation 883/2004 as a special non-contributory cash benefit and, as a result, it is paid “exclusively in the Member State in which the persons concerned reside, in accordance with its legislation”. A jobseeker’s allowance customer, to retain his or her payment, is therefore required to remain in the State. Locally, however, arrangements may be made between a local office and a person on jobseeker’s allowance, permitting the person to travel abroad for a job interview or a short holiday.

There are no plans to introduce changes to these arrangements.