Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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356. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding facilitating volunteering (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19134/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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While the Deputy has not referred to jobseekers specifically, I will respond to his question in the context of people who are in receipt of a jobseeker’s payment.

I am deeply conscious of the long and valuable tradition of volunteering in this country and I am committed to ensuring that this continues to thrive. To facilitate the commitment to the voluntary community, the Department operates a Voluntary Work Option for customers on the jobseeker schemes. Under these arrangements, a jobseeker customer may engage in voluntary work within the State without affecting their jobseeker entitlements, provided they continue to satisfy the statutory conditions of being available for full-time employment and genuinely seeking work.

Examples of voluntary work in which jobseekers may engage include helping the sick, elderly or persons with a disability or assisting youth clubs, church groups, sports groups, cultural organisations and local resident associations. Voluntary groups may be locally or nationally organised and may include community groups.

Details of the Voluntary Work Option arrangements are published on the Department’s website and in order to promote the availability of this option, all staff involved in the administration of the jobseeker schemes have been reminded of these arrangements and of the procedures under which they operate.

Any jobseeker customer wishing to engage in voluntary work while seeking employment should first notify their Intreo/local office.

Details of the Voluntary Work Option are also published on the Volunteer Ireland website.