Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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1367.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost in 2025 of restoring jobseeker’s allowance for under-25s to the standard adult rate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32722/24]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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1413.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the current young jobseeker’s rate of €129.70 by €1 per week. [33598/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1367 and 1413 together.

Age-related reduced rates apply to jobseekers aged 18 to 24 years and were introduced to prevent long-term welfare dependency by encouraging participation in training and employment programmes.

Budget 2024 increased the maximum personal rate for a young adult to €141.70 per week from January 2024, which was an increase of €12.

There were approximately 9,650 jobseekers in receipt of the reduced rate of €141.70 in June2024. The estimated full-year cost of increasing the current reduced jobseeker’s rate to the full personal rate of €232 per week for this group is approximately €45.3m based on the current number of recipients.

The estimated full-year cost of increasing the current reduced jobseeker’s rate by €1 per week is approximately €501,800 based on the current number of recipients.

We are at full employment with labour shortages in many sectors. My Department's focus therefore is on supporting and improving the capacity of young people to take up employment, education and training opportunities to help them enhance their employment prospects over time, as well as their ability to earn an adequate income. If a young jobseeker participates in education or training, they receive up to the full rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance of €232. If they participate on the Work Placement Experience Programme the weekly rate increases up to €335.