Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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180. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of the anomalies in the Gateway scheme that exist for families in respect of the number of children; if he is examining a review of the refusal to permit families to apply for additional income assistance through family income supplement; if he is aware it financially disadvantages a person with more than two children to participate in the scheme; if this was envisaged at the roll-out of the scheme; if a review is possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17816/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Gateway is a Local Authority initiative which aims to provide short-term quality and suitable work opportunities to improve the employability and maintain the work readiness of those who have been unemployed for 24 months or more.

Participants on Gateway are entitled to claim for any dependent child/children who satisfy the eligibility criteria. Gateway employees are subject to normal income tax and PRSI deductions if their level of earnings brings them into the tax net. These conditions also apply to employees in the private and public sector and those engaged in other work placements initiatives such as Tús, community employment and the rural social scheme. Further information about revenue rules can be obtained from the Revenue Commissioners or local tax office.

Participants on employment schemes, who pay Class A, can establish entitlement to the full range of short term benefits including jobseeker’s benefit, illness benefit, and maternity benefit and to long term benefits including state pension (contributory).

To avail of family income supplement, the person must be engaged in full-time remunerative employment as an employee. This specifically excludes a number of employment schemes, including Gateway.

If a placement has a negative financial impact on a participant, it is open to the person to inform their Intreo Office and seek to be excused from participation on financial grounds. In such cases, the Department will work with the person to identify other activation and/or educational opportunities, which may be more appropriate to their circumstances.

With the ongoing welcome reductions in the live register, schemes such as Gateway will be kept under review to ensure that they remain fit for purpose and to ensure that the numbers on schemes and the nature of the schemes continue to be appropriate.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.