Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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296. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he has decided to review supports for workers who are put on short-time work in the context of the impact on workers and businesses of the tariffs announced by the US President on 2 April; if he will consider introducing a scheme similar to the German Kurzarbeit scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18269/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Department provides support for workers on Short-Time Work under the Jobseeker's Benefit scheme. This is an income support payment for those who have been temporarily placed on a shorter working week by their employer and which has worked effectively in response to challenges facing businesses.

For example, if a person's working week has been reduced from a 5 day work pattern to a 3 day work pattern, they may be paid a Short-Time Work Support payment for the 2 days of work that have been lost. Unlike other Jobseeker’s Benefit payments, a key benefit is that the payment for Short-Time working is not taxable. Further details on this support are available on the Government's website.

The Department will continue to monitor the supports available in line with the prevailing economic conditions.

I trust this clarify the matters for the Deputy.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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297. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is considering a PRSI rebate for SME’s to help them deal with increased costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18284/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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In general, the issue of targeted supports for businesses is a matter for the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.

There are no proposals for a PRSI rebate for SMEs. Any changes to the PRSI employer rates or threshold would have to be considered in a budgetary context, taking account of the economic circumstances and with a view to the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund.

The Deputy might note that the employer PRSI threshold, at which the higher rate of employer PRSI becomes payable, was increased from €441 to €496 per week with effect from 1 October 2024. The threshold was further increased to €527 per week from 1 January 2025. The effect of these threshold increases is that employers with employees earning the weekly equivalent of the national minimum wage pay the lower rate of employer PRSI rate (8.9%), rather than the higher rate (11.15%).

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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298. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if his Department will provide more clarity on the availability of welfare priority for care leavers under exceptional social grounds in situations where they are at risk of homelessness. [18299/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The primary responsibility for housing and managing homelessness lies with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the local authorities. This responsibility includes the accommodation needs of young persons leaving all forms of State care.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has responsibility for after care provision, for young people leaving care. Currently, those care-leavers who are at risk of homelessness are assisted by the Child and Family Agency, in partnership with other Government Departments or agencies.

My department is acutely aware of the challenges faced by people who are homeless. There is a protocol in place to ensure a person-focused and effective approach is applied where individuals and families who are homeless seek assistance in any of my Department’s offices across the country. It is important to note, that a person does not need a permanent address to apply for a social welfare payment or service, or to receive a social welfare payment.

Jobseeker’s Allowance may be payable by my department to young people aged 18 years where they satisfy the conditions of the scheme. The Deputy is advised that age related rates do not apply to young jobseeker’s who were in the care of The Child and Family Agency for any period of time during the 12 months immediately before their 18th birthday. The standard rate of personal Jobseeker’s Allowance of €244 per week is payable in these circumstances.

In addition, Rent Supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation. The scheme provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed can continue to meet their rental commitments.

Furthermore, Additional Needs Payment are also available to assist those who have essential expenses, such as rent deposits, rent in advance and household bills, that they cannot pay from their weekly income.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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299. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reasoning for having a cut-off point of 28 March for the pay-related job benefits scheme; why people who lost their jobs before this date are excluded from the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18347/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit is a new social insurance income support, linked to previous earnings, which has replaced the Jobseeker's Benefit scheme for people whose first day of unemployment is on or after 31 March 2025. This means that in order to be eligible to apply for the scheme, a person's last day of employment must have been on or after Friday 28 March 2025.

A commencement date is required for the introduction of any new scheme. The Commencement Order provides that this scheme comes into operation on 31 March 2025. The scheme is available to those whose unemployment begins on or after this date as provided for in section 68KB(1)(d) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended.

The existing Jobseeker's Benefit scheme is available for people who became fully unemployed before that date and such customers will remain on Jobseeker's Benefit until they return to employment or their benefit runs out, subject to the normal rules of that scheme.

A person who is experiencing financial difficulty may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment from the Department of Social Protection to help meet essential expenditure which an eligible person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income. These payments are means tested and administered by the Community Welfare Service considering the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.