Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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905. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person on a job initiative scheme is not receiving the same amount of remuneration as their section-39 colleagues. [29562/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, Job Initiative (JI) is an employment support scheme which was designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities.

The Department provides wage grant funding for JI team leaders and JI participants along with a grant contribution towards the running costs of the scheme in respect of administration, materials, overheads, training, and development. Recruitment to the JI scheme closed in November 2004, with participants who were on the scheme at that time having a right to remain on the scheme until they reach the State pension age of 66.

Participants on JI are employed full time by JI managing agents for 39 hours per week. Budget 2025 increased the JI weekly participant rate from €519 to €543 from January 2025. The JI rate benefits from any budgetary increase in the relevant social welfare payments along with any increase in the top up payment for participants on employment support schemes. JI participants can avail of other benefits afforded to Social Welfare recipients, such as the retention of their medical card and payment of the annual Christmas Bonus. In this context, JI participants benefited from an extra weekly bonus in October 2024 along with the 2024 Christmas Bonus Double Payment.

While some participants on JI are employed in organisations that also have a contract with the HSE under Section 39 of the Health Act 2004, their JI employment is not subject to regulation under this section. Service agreements under Section 39 are in place between the HSE and all service providers, which clearly set out the obligations of the organisation, the services for which they are engaged by the HSE, and the funding that has been agreed. Any JI participant employed by the organisations are on a separate contract and subject to the wage grant funding arrangements as set out above.

JI currently caters for some 281 participants who work in 36 JI schemes.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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906. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to a carer’s allowance application given the fact that the care recipient (details supplied) is suffering from cancer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29566/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office is a service of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision in the coming days.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

George Lawlor (Wexford, Labour)
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907. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware that under the TESW (temporary education sector workers), numerous bus escorts have yet to receive their payments from the Easter break; his plans to ensure that workers are paid in a timely manner, in advance of the summer holidays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29583/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Educational Sector Workers (ESWs), including Bus Escorts, who wish to avail of income support while temporarily laid-off during the school breaks can apply for a jobseeker’s payment. They must satisfy all the qualifying conditions to receive a payment. This includes completing the relevant claim application forms and providing supporting documentation in a timely manner while also being available for full-time work and genuinely seeking work at each school break.

A jobseeker’s payment is only paid for days of unemployment where the person is not being remunerated for by their employer, including receipt of any holiday pay entitlement during the school break.

Those who have previously been in contact with my Department, are issued with a repeat jobseeker’s application form and a holiday entitlement form in advance of the school holiday periods. This advance process facilitates an efficient service to these customers and allows for speedy processing of their claim when the period of unemployment actually arises.

It is important to note that Educational Sector Workers, including Bus Escorts, are still required to sign on for each period of unemployment and satisfy all the qualifying conditions for a jobseeker’s payment. As each claim is assessed individually, and each person's employment history, including previous claims is different, the payment due will also be different.

It should be noted, there is no specific scheme available for Educational Sector Workers when they are temporarily laid-off during all the school breaks. The appropriate scheme is jobseeker’s subject to the person meeting all the qualifying conditions including being available for full-time work and genuinely seeking work.

Over the last number of years my Department has dedicated teams working solely on Education Sector Workers claims in order to minimise delays for people. However, the large volume of jobseeker's claims received at the school breaks means that some decisions on these claims may take a number of weeks to process. If any customer is in urgent financial need my Department’s Community Welfare Service can provide assistance while they wait for their claim to be processed.

I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.