Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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28. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the community employment scheme, for persons of 62 years of age upwards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35503/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Persons who are in receipt of a Jobseeker’s payment are required to be available for full-time employment and genuinely seeking work. In addition, they must comply, when requested to do so, with the Department’s activation measures. Legislation currently provides for the imposition of penalties in the form of payment reductions for refusal or failure to engage, without good cause, with these measures.

In 2013 new provisions were announced for older persons who left work before reaching the State pension age of 66 and who wished to claim a jobseeker’s payment. Ordinarily, people in receipt of a jobseeker’s payment must engage with the Department’s activation process and can face penalty rates if they refuse to engage with Department offers of training or education. These criteria were eased for people aged 62 and over in light of their contribution to society. They can still avail voluntarily of an array of supports, which are available from the Department if they wish to return to work, training or education. However, penalty rates are not applied to this cohort should they decide they do not wish to engage with the activation process.

Arrangements have been made so that they will have to register with their local office only once a year and will have their Jobseeker’s payments paid directly into their bank accounts.

The core scheme provisions continue to apply to jobseeker customers aged from 62 years and older in the same way as any other jobseeker, namely they are required to be available for full-time employment and genuinely seeking work. Any person who fails to satisfy these conditions is not entitled to a jobseeker’s payment.

By giving a person aged over 62 the option of voluntarily availing of supports if they wish to return to work, training or education, we are continuing to support longer working while acknowledging the contribution of those moving towards retirement.