Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if the flexibility exists under social welfare legislation for a person who is in receipt of partial jobseekers allowance and working for two days a week, and who qualifies for State Pension Transition to retain their jobseekers payment and hence their entitlement to hold employment in lieu of not claiming the State pension transition when they reach 65 years. [17230/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The jobseeker's allowance scheme provides income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative employment. It is a fundamental qualifying condition for this scheme that a person must be available for full-time work and the scheme is also subject to a means test.

A person is entitled to jobseeker’s allowance where, inter alia, they are fully unemployed for at least 4 days in any period of 7 consecutive days. It is not payable in respect of any day during which the person is engaged in insurable employment.

Jobseeker’s allowance is payable up to the age of 66 so may, subject to scheme criteria, be paid when a person is 65.