Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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387. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will amend the operational guidelines of jobseeker's allowance relating to the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended, to remove the payment differential for those aged between 18 and 24 years and those above the age of 24 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21121/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Age-related rates for Jobseeker's Allowance recipients were introduced on a phased basis from 2009 to tackle high youth unemployment and to avoid long-term welfare dependency. Where a jobseeker aged 18-24 participates in approved full-time education or training they will receive the maximum rate of payment.

Age-related Jobseeker’s Allowance rates also do not apply to those with qualifying child dependents, or those who were in care of the HSE, Child and Family Agency (Tusla) during the 12 months immediately before they turned 18.

A jobseeker aged between 18 and 24 is also entitled to an exemption from the reduced rates if they are living independently of the family home and are in receipt of state housing supports. They must be in receipt of either rent supplement, housing assistance payment (HAP), rental accommodation scheme (RAS), local authority housing or living permanently in accommodation provided by a certain approved housing body to qualify for an exemption from the reduced rates.

In Budget 2023, I announced an increase of all core social welfare payments by €12 per week including the age-related Jobseeker's Allowance rate which has also increased by €12 to €129.70 per week for jobseekers aged between 18 and 24 years.

Supporting and improving the capacity of people to take up employment, education and training opportunities can enhance their employment prospects over time, as well as their ability to earn an adequate income to support themselves and their families into the future. If they participate on the Work Placement Experience Programme, their weekly rate increases to €323.

The Pathways to Work strategy contains provision for 50,000 additional further education and training places and the allocation of at least 1,000 out of the 3,000 new Community Employment and Tús places for young people. Work is ongoing to promote Community Employment to young people and to ensure places are filled by them. Additional places have also been provided on the JobsPlus recruitment incentive scheme, with the subsidy being available on an earlier basis than normal to employers when they recruit young people.

The aim of Pathways to Work 2021-2025 was to use these measures to reduce the youth unemployment rate back to or below the 2019 average of 12.5% by 2023. According to the latest CSO data, the seasonally adjusted youth unemployment rate for April 2023 is already well below this target at 7.9%. Further work in this area will continue to support these young people.

Therefore, I do not propose to remove age-related rates at this time.

I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.