Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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401. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason an Irish person born here will be asked to prove Irish nationality when applying for jobseeker's allowance or benefit. [27321/13]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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402. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that Irish citizens born in the six counties and resident in this State are entitled to equal rights as any other Irish citizens when applying for job seeker's assistance. [27322/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 401 and 402 together.

A person's nationality is not a factor in determining entitlement to social welfare payments and there is no specific requirement to provide such evidence. However, evidence of identity is always necessary and in this context, a passport is often furnished by customers as proof of identity. Jobseeker’s benefit is a contribution based payment made to workers who have involuntarily become unemployed. Jobseeker's allowance is a means-tested payment made to people who are unemployed and do not qualify for jobseeker's benefit. In order to qualify for jobseeker's allowance a number of conditions must be satisfied by an applicant, including that s/he be available for and genuinely seeking work, and that s/he fulfils the habitual residence condition. An Irish citizen born in the six counties who is habitually resident in this State is entitled to the same social welfare payments as an Irish citizen born in the 26 counties, providing the conditions for such payments are met.