Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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805. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing jobseeker’s payments for those aged under 24 years of age to the full maximum rate of €203. [20002/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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An age related jobseeker’s allowance rate of €112.70 generally applies to young jobseekers aged 18-24 to incentivise them to engage in education or training to improve their chances of obtaining full time sustainable employment.  If a young jobseeker participates in education or training they can receive the maximum weekly personal rate of up to €203.  The Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS) is a work experience placement programme which is specifically targeted at young jobseekers aged 18-24 years of age who are long-term unemployed or who face barriers to employment. Young jobseekers who participate in this scheme receive a maximum weekly payment of €229.20. 

Reduced rates do not apply to all young people under 25 including those with a qualified child, those who were in the care of the Child and Family Agency, or TUSLA, during the 12 months before they reached 18 or those who are living independently and in receipt of State housing supports.

The full year cost of restoring young persons under 25 years of age on the reduced rates of jobseeker’s allowance, based on existing recipients, to the rate of €203 per week would be approximately €76 million.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.