Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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45. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on the report into seasonal and part time workers' rights and entitlements to social welfare payments drafted by her Department; her plans regarding the problems experienced by those persons in obtaining social welfare payments once their part time work ceases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2016/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department’s main social welfare schemes for unemployed persons are the jobseeker’s allowance and the jobseekers benefit schemes. Both schemes provide significant support to individuals so that they can work up to 3 days a week and still retain access to a reduced jobseeker’s payment. The 2018 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure this year on the jobseeker’s schemes of €2.17 billion.At present an individual can earn a little over €19,760 per year and still retain a small jobseeker's allowance payment, while the equivalent threshold for an individual with a qualified adult is almost €33,975 if they are both working. Where a person’s part time employment ceases they can apply for jobseekers allowance which is a means tested payment or if they have the required number of contributions they may have an entitlement to jobseekers benefit. An Taoiseach, in his previous role as Minister for Social Protection, gave a commitment at Dáil report stage of the Social Welfare Bill 2016 that he would ask officials to examine the issue of jobseeker’s benefit and the treatment of part-time and seasonal workers, including those categorised as having subsidiary employment. My officials have recently completed this report on these issues which I will consider in detail.

My Department is currently collating data in relation to those who qualify for Jobseekers Benefit and who are in subsidiary employment. We will have 12 months of data gathered by May 2018 at which point I will be in a better position to make an informed decision on this issue.