Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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143. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has plans to publish an updated proposal following the recent public consultation on pay-related jobseeker’s benefit; when that can be expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25104/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government and the Economic Recovery Plan include commitments to consider a pay-related jobseeker’s benefit scheme. Pathways to Work commits to using the experience from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to inform the design of such a scheme that may be developed. The introduction of a pay-related benefit for jobseekers would bring Ireland in line with the majority of EU Member States.

I published a Strawman document in December 2022 which sets out the broad parameters of a possible approach to a pay-related jobseeker's benefit scheme. It is not a final design. The objective of the Strawman is to elicit feedback through a national consultation process to develop a preferred policy design.

Written submissions have been received from over 80 individuals and from 32 stakeholder groups. The Department hosted a Stakeholder Event in Dublin in February and a series of individual bilateral meetings between Department officials and selected stakeholder organisations has just concluded.

Department officials in my Department are currently analysing all feedback received through the consultation process. This will inform the design of a proposal that I intend to bring to Government in the coming months.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.