Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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323. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of equalising jobseeker payments for those under 25 years of age to the standard rate in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44085/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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On Budget Day I announced targeted measures to support young jobseekers including the abolition of the age-related rates of payment for 25 year olds from January 2020.  I also announced that that the full rate of payment would be available to jobseekers aged 18 to 24 who are living independently and in receipt of State housing supports including rent supplement and the Housing Assistance Payment.  

From next January, a young jobseeker aged 25 years will receive a weekly increase of €45.20 from €157.80 up to €203 and a younger jobseeker will benefit by up to €90.30 per week.  These are significant weekly increases that will benefit almost 2,100 young people at a cost of €5.2 million.  Once these measures are introduced, there will be approximately 14,000 young jobseekers in receipt of age related rates of payment.  The cost of increasing the rate of payment to the full rate for this group would be approximately €66 million in a full year.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.