Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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231. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 1527 of 26 July 2017, the calculated value of the non-cash benefits which those in direct provision with status receive. [49468/17]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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232. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 1527 of 26 July 2017, if she is satisfied that a payment of €26.10 is sufficient for a person in direct provision to have the means to seek employment. [49469/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 232 together.

Once a person has been granted status, they may apply for payments from my Department which are appropriate to their circumstances, on the same basis as Irish citizens. Such payments could include basic supplementary welfare allowance, jobseekers allowance or one-parent family payment and child benefit. Entitlement is assessed on the basis of the rules of the particular scheme. Apart from child benefit, payment under these schemes is subject to a means test, with the value of the non-cash benefits which they receive, i.e. accommodation, food and other services, assessed in the means assessment, in line with the legislation governing the means test for each scheme.

The Department’s recommended values provided to Deciding Officers and Designated Persons for the assessment of the non-cash benefits are set out in the table. These amounts are designed to ensure a reasonable consistency between the different categories of people living in direct provision (i.e. between those who have not achieved status, who are in receipt of the Direct Provision Allowance, and those who have status and so qualify for general social welfare payments).

Regarding seeking employment, people in direct provision with the right to seek employment have access to the same suite of employment supports as Irish citizens. Once they engage with their local Intreo office and receive a jobseekers payment, they will receive assistance by way of education, training and activation supports. Prior to being directed to activation services, they will be assessed with regard to job readiness and any specific obstacles such as, for example, language difficulties are addressed at this stage.

In addition, as I previously indicated to the Deputy, Exceptional Needs Payments (ENPs) can be made to persons in the direct provision system, including to support their move from direct provision accommodation into the community. All applications are determined on a case-by -case basis having regard to the individual circumstances presented.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Table - Recommended values for non-cash benefits since 3 August 2017

For larger numbers of children, these values should be increased by €8.20 for each child after the third.