Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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316. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31707/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Person Concerned submitted an application for Jobseekers Allowance on 15/5/2023 on which they stated that they were a full time student.

The Person Concerned was issued with a disallowance letter on 18/5/2023 on the grounds that they were a full time student.

The Person Concerned appealed this decision on the 24/5/2023 and following a review the decision was upheld and the appeal was submitted to the Appeals Office. A decision from the Appeal's Office will issue in due course.

The question of Back to Education was not looked into into this case as the Person Concerned was not in receipt of a qualifying payment for the required period of time and is under the age limit for this payment.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Social insurance contributions are made in accordance with the legislation and the employment terms and conditions in force at the time they are made and eligibility for social insurance benefits flow from that.

Civil and public sector employees, recruited prior to 6 April 1995, pay social insurance contributions at modified rates under classes B, C and D. Amongst the class B contributors are permanent and pensionable civil servants including clerical and executive officer level. All civil and public servants recruited from 6 April 1995 pay social insurance at the standard class A rate.

Prior to 6 April 1995, civil and public servants did not have access to the full range of social insurance benefits as their terms of employment protected them against the main contingencies of illness and old age, and the risk of unemployment was not considered a factor due to the nature of their employment.

Consequently, such contributors pay less in social insurance contributions in return for fewer social insurance benefits. For example, class B contributors currently pay a contribution at the rate of 0.9% on their weekly earnings up to €1,443 and 4% on weekly earnings over that amount and their employers pay a contribution of 2.01% on all employee earnings. Class B contributors are currently entitled to Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension, Guardian's Payment (Contributory), limited Occupational Injuries Benefits, Parent's Benefit and Carer's Benefit.

In contrast, civil and public servants recruited from 6 April 1995 pay a class A social insurance contribution of 4% on their weekly earnings and their employers pay a contribution of 8.8% where employees’ weekly earnings are €441 or less and 11.05% where their employees’ weekly earnings exceed €441. Class A contributors have access to the full range of social insurance benefits.

There are several payments made by my Department that are secondary in nature and generally only available to those in receipt of a qualifying payment. These include the Increase for Living Alone and the Fuel Allowance. From January 2023, the Fuel Allowance was expanded to include those aged 70 or over, who do not need to be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment. The Fuel Allowance is subject to means-testing. Any changes to allow other groups, such as those in receipt of occupational pensions from the Civil or Public Service, to receive these, other secondary payments and further primary social insurance benefits would have to be considered in overall budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.