Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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156. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the work her Department is doing to close the welfare trap (details supplied). [24591/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Analysis of replacement rate values, which compare net in-work and welfare incomes, demonstrates that for the great majority of unemployed people securing employment will result in higher levels of income.

The jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker’s allowance schemes provide income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative employment. It is a fundamental qualifying condition for these schemes that a person must be available for full-time work. If a person refuses an offer of suitable employment he/she may be subject to a disqualification under the jobseeker’s schemes.

A person is entitled to jobseeker’s benefit or jobseeker’s allowance where they are fully unemployed for at least 4 days in any period of 7 consecutive days.

It is recognised that a changing labour market has resulted in a move away from the more traditional work patterns, with a consequent increase in the number of casual workers. This is an important policy issue for my Department but any changes to the current criteria could have significant cost implications. For that reason my Department will consider this issue very carefully. In tandem the Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare, which has already reported to me on a number of important policy areas, is now looking at the whole area of atypical work and I look forward to their recommendations on this issue.

This work is complex and is taking place in the context of other social welfare reforms, the current economic situation, and the considerable administrative change that implementation of reform to the jobseeker’s schemes will require.

I have asked my officials to liaise with the Deputy in relation to these cases so as to get a full understanding of the situation.