Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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552. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person's income averaged over a number of years can be used to calculate the amount of pay-related jobseeker's payment in cases in which their income for the previous 12 months is not representative of their income for the duration of their employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31953/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit is a new social insurance income support which has replaced the Jobseeker's Benefit scheme for people who have become fully unemployed since 31 March 2025.

Under the Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit scheme, the weekly rate of payment for a person with at least 5 years paid PRSI contributions is set at 60% of previous earnings, up to a maximum of €450 for the first 13 weeks. After that, the rate is set at 55% of previous earnings up to a maximum of €375 for the following 13 weeks. A further 13 weeks will be paid at the rate of 50%, up to a maximum €300 payment.

For people who have between two and five years contributions, the rate is set at 50% of previous earnings. This is paid up to a maximum of €300 per week, subject to a maximum duration of 26 weeks.

The purpose of the Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit is to cushion against the income shock when a person loses employment. Therefore, it is considered appropriate that a person would have a strong and recent connection to the labour market in order to qualify. This is reflected in the requirement to have 26 paid contributions in the 12 months immediately prior to making a claim, and at least 4 weeks' paid contributions in the prior 10 weeks. In addition, the assessment period used to calculate reckonable previous earnings is the 12 month period previous to the 8 weeks before the person lost their employment,

This differs from Jobseeker's Benefit where a person who does not have a recent work history may still qualify for the scheme based on earnings in the Governing Contribution Year, which is 2 years prior to the year of their claim.

I do not intend to amend the assessment period used in the calculation of the rate of Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit, as it is my view that the most recent twelve month period provides the appropriate basis for the calculation of earnings. It is open to any individual to make an application for the means-tested Jobseeker's Allowance if they think they may be entitled to a higher rate of payment.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.