Written answers

Tuesday, 1 December 2015

Department of Social Protection

Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

146. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why a person in respect of whom an adult dependent allowance is paid cannot access assistance to re-train, upskill or educate for a return to the workforce, but a person claiming jobseeker's allowance is able to do so; her plans to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42576/15]

Photo of Kevin HumphreysKevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Given the level of unemployment, the key objective of activation policy and labour market initiatives over the past four years has been is to offer assistance to those most in need of support in securing work and achieving financial self-sufficiency. This policy objective prioritises scarce resources to those in receipt of qualifying welfare payments. Accordingly the employment services and schemes provided by the Department are focused in the first instance on this cohort of unemployed people.

A person in respect of whom an adult dependent allowance is paid under another’s Jobseeker Allowance payment is not required to be unemployed (i.e. available for and actively seeking employment). Such a person may however opt to apply for Jobseekers Allowance and become subject to the normal conditionality of the scheme. The Department facilitates such requests through a mechanism known as ‘claim-splitting’ whereby the total amount due to a couple is divided into two separate claims. In such situations both members of a couple hold a claim in their own right and have access to the full range of activation supports in line with the normal criteria.

In addition, in line with the commitment in Pathways to Work, a range of services are available to non-employed persons who are not in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment. For example employment services, such as advice on job-search activities and the use of online job search tools, are available to people if they register with the Department’s employment services offices, regardless of their social welfare status.

Unemployed persons not in receipt of payments may be eligible to avail of upskilling opportunities, for example through ETB training for unemployed people (at present there are 1,009 upcoming day courses and 552 upcoming evening courses). Although not eligible to receive a training allowance while undertaking the course, they may receive some support for expenses on travel, meals and accommodation.

An updated Pathways to Work 2016-2020 strategy is under development within the Department of Social Protection and it is intended to bring this strategy to Government for approval shortly. While the new strategy is still being formulated I expect that it will reflect labour market changes in our economy. In particular whereas the existing strategy was formulated during a period of very high unemployment and focussed on supporting people who are unemployed the new strategy is likely, given the reduction in unemployment and on-going growth in employment, to augment this focus by, in addition, seeking to support an increased level of labour market participation in order to ensure that economic growth can be sustained. The strategy will therefore focus on consolidating previous reforms and on continued prioritisation of key cohorts; as well as considering the expansion of activation services to other cohorts.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.