Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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465. To ask the Minister for Social Protection to clarify the policy with regard to paying jobseeker’s allowance to those persons living in direct provision centres, and who have residency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12868/16]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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516. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the policy with regard to paying jobseeker’s allowance to residents of direct provision centres, once they have achieved leave to remain status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13531/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 465 and 516 together.

The jobseeker’s allowance scheme provides income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full-time employment. The 2016 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure this year on the jobseeker’s allowance scheme of €2.45 billion.

In order to qualify for a Jobseeker's Allowance payment a person must meet all the conditions for the scheme. Being habitually resident in the State is a requirement, among others, for receipt of certain social protection payments including jobseeker's allowance. It applies to all applicants for and recipients of such payments including those who have been granted leave to remain.

Asylum seekers only have permission to remain in the State until their applications for refugee status or subsidiary protection have been determined and cannot be considered to satisfy the habitual residence condition during this period. As they do not satisfy the habitual resident condition during this period they are not eligible for jobseeker’s allowance.

My Department’s published guidelines on the application of the habitual residence condition specifically address the issue of those who have been granted leave to remain.

Where someone has been granted residency and are available and seeking employment they can apply for jobseeker’s allowance. However, they must satisfy the means test and the habitual resident condition among others, which applies to all applicants in order to receive payment.