Written answers

Tuesday, 10 May 2022

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Social Welfare Benefits

Photo of Paul McAuliffePaul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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559. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the case of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed. [23310/22]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB) scheme provides a statutory income support payment to individuals who have lost work and are unable to obtain full time employment. To be eligible for the payment, a person must satisfy all of the qualifying conditions which includes that they must be available for and genuinely seeking full time employment. In general, the level of commitment required to participate in a full-time course of education is not consistent with the Jobseeker’s schemes requirement to be available for full-time employment and genuinely seeking such work.

The person concerned applied for JB with effect from 10/06/2021. Her application was awarded, and she received JB up to 09/03/2022 when her entitlement to the payment expired.

My Department was subsequently provided with a letter from the Dundalk Institute of Technology, dated 13/04/2022 confirming that the person concerned was engaged in a full-time Higher Diploma Data Analytics Programme. The programme commenced on 27/09/2021 and is due to finish at the end of August 2022.

On the basis of this information the Deciding Officer revised their decision and deemed the person concerned did not meet the qualifying criteria to receive a JB payment during the period 27/09/2021 to 09/03/2022 as she was engaged in full-time education. A revised decision letter dated 28/03/2022 issued to the person concerned advising her of the decision and of the overpayment that had been incurred. The person concerned was afforded the opportunity to seek a review of the decision and/or appeal to the Social Welfare Appeal Office (SWAO) which functions independently of my Department.

A request for a review of the decision has been received from the Citizens Information Centre in Finglas on behalf of the person concerned. My officials are undertaking a review of the case and when the process has been completed the person concerned will be advised of the outcome in writing.

The person concerned also subsequently gave notice of appeal to the independent SWAO. The person will be advised of the outcome of her appeal on completion of the Appeals Officer’s deliberations, should the local review uphold the initial decision to disallow her claim.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

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