Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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108. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons under 26 years on jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker's allowance who are in receipt of €100, €144 and €188, respectively. [35556/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The reduced payments of €100 and €144 are payable to recipients of jobseeker’s allowance only. The information requested by the Deputy in respect of jobseeker’s allowance recipients is detailed in the following tabular statement.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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109. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons under 26 years on jobseeker's allowance in receipt of €100 who have been subject to a penalty rate since 2011. [35557/14]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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110. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons under 26 years on jobseeker's allowance in receipt of €144 who have been subject to a penalty rate since 2011. [35558/14]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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111. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons under 26 years on jobseeker's allowance in receipt of €188 who have been subject to a penalty rate since 2011. [35559/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 to 111, inclusive, together.

The concept of mutual commitments is a key feature of the Intreo income and employment support services which are replacing the traditional social welfare offices as part of the Pathways to Work strategy. Major activation reforms have been introduced whereby my Department has responsibility to provide supports and the jobseeker has responsibility to engage with these supports.

Legislation provides that sanctions in the form of reduced payments may be imposed by a Deciding Officer where recipients of jobseeker payments fail, without good cause, to comply with activation measures. Activation measures include the requirement to attend group or individual meetings, and/or avail of suitable education, training or development opportunities, or specified employment programmes, which are considered appropriate to a person’s circumstances.

The total numbers of penalty rates applied, since their inception in 2011 to end July 2014, to persons on jobseeker’s allowance are indicated in the following table, including a breakdown for persons aged 18 – 25 years.