Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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104. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) is not eligible for jobseeker's benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15304/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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In order to qualify for a Jobseeker's Benefit (JB) payment a person must suffer a loss of employment. The normal level of employment is calculated once at the start of each JB claim and remains for the duration of the claim. The person concerned is a part-time factory worker and her pattern of employment has been calculated at one day per week.

The person concerned applied for JB on 14 March 2016. As the normal level of employment for the person concerned is set at one day, she is not entitled to the benefit as she still works one day or more and has not suffered a loss from her pattern of employment.

The person concerned cannot be classified as a casual employee, as she does not comply with the requirements for that classification. She is classified as a part-time worker.

The person concerned has been advised of her right to appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.