Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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287. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the rate of jobseeker's benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30415/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Reduced rates for younger jobseeker’s allowance recipients were first introduced in 2009 and extended to those under 26 in Budget 2014. This is similar to other EU and OECD jurisdictions where such measures feature.

These measures were introduced to protect young people from welfare dependency by providing young jobseekers with a strong financial incentive to engage in education or training or to take up employment. Should a young jobseeker on a reduced jobseeker’s allowance payment participate on an education or training programme they will receive a higher weekly payment of €160. This rate will be further increased to €193 per week from September 2017. In addition, recipients of jobseekers allowance under 26 years of age who have dependent children are not subject to the reduced rates.

I am committed to ensuring my Department identifies effective measures to incentivise and support young people in finding and securing sustainable jobs. The best way to do this is through engagement processes and by incentivising them to avail of educational and training opportunities, thereby enhancing their employment prospects.

The CSO’s latest monthly unemployment figures report that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for persons aged 15-24 years was 11.7% in May 2017. This is a decrease of 3.3 percentage points, from 15% in May 2016.

With effect from March, rates of jobseeker’s payments were increased for claimants of all ages as a result of measures introduced in Budget 2017. I have no plans for any further increases in rates at present. Any such changes could only be considered in a budgetary context.