Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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276. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if there is a policy to claw back jobseeker's benefit through the tax system from persons who gain employment; the reason this is so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52969/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Issues in relation to taxation of social welfare payments and the administration of such taxation are the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Finance.

In tandem with most other social welfare payments jobseeker's benefit, a weekly payment to people out of work and covered by social insurance, is taxable but the actual tax liability will depend on the overall income position of the person. There are arrangements between the Department of Social Protection and the Revenue Commissioners providing for the electronic transfer of data relating to beneficiaries of social welfare payments.