Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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461. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection what assessable property was used by a deciding officer in County Donegal to carry out a means assessment for a jobseeker's allowance claim by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22833/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned has been in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance from September 2021 to date. The means assessment completed by a Social Welfare Inspector in the Buncrana Office is based on independent auctioneer property valuations submitted by the customer in March 2023.

The customer has requested an appeal which is being prepared by a Deciding Officer in the Buncrana Intreo Office . An appeal submission will shortly be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing.

The appeals office will issue a decision in writing to the customer when they have completed their deliberations.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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462. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department will review the PRSI contributions system in order that adult dependents who have worked in the home may be entitled to full future social welfare benefits such as the recent €200 cost-of-living support payment; if she will provide a full explanation for the rationale for why adult dependents and others with insufficient PRSI contributions who have worked in the home were not entitled to the recent €200 cost-of-living support payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22970/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The €200 Spring lump sum payment was paid to 1.3 million recipients in receipt of long-term social welfare payments. This lump sum was paid in late April and cost approximately €261 million.

This support was paid on a similar basis to the Christmas Bonus, including to those on jobseeker's payments or Illness Benefit for over 12 months; with the addition of recipients of the Working Family Payment.

The payment was made to primary recipients of a qualifying payment only.

It is part of a range of additional Cost of Living supports valued at over €400 million announced in February, following on from the largest Social Protection Budget in the history of the state last September, which will provide support to people and families - other supports will include a €100 Child Benefit lump sum in June and a €100 Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance lump sum.

The Increase for a Qualified Adult can be awarded to a person whose spouse/civil partner/co-habitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified adult’s personal means do not exceed a means test income limit, based on the means held solely or jointly by the qualified adult.

If a person does not qualify for a social insurance payment based on their PRSI contributions, they may qualify for a means-tested social assistance payment.

Any proposal to extend full social welfare benefits, to include such cost of living support payment, to adult dependents, would have to be considered in a budgetary context with a view to the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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463. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding a jobseekers application for a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22976/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Person Concerned benefit exhausted on Jobseekers Benefit and a claim for Jobseekers Allowance was registered on 22/02/2023. They voluntarily withdrew their application in an email to the Social Welfare Inspector on the 13th of April 2023 and stated that they felt under pressure to obtain all the requested documents. Subsequently the Deciding Officer closed the application.

They attended the Kilbarrack IntreoCentre in person on the 21/04/2023 and stated that they wished to try and put all the requested paperwork for the application together. Upon receipt of a Representation from the Deputy an application was registered for Jobseekers Allowance on the 26th of April 2023.

As the previous application was withdrawn prior to the application being processed it will be necessary once the required documentation has been received from the client to re-examine the application and all documentation prior to making a decision.

In the interim if the Person Concerned is experiencing financial difficulty pending a decision on their Job Seekers application they may apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance which is a mean tested payment on household income.