Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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148. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware of a cohort of people in the State with five plus years of PRSI contributions who are only entitled to the minimum rate of jobseeker’s pay-related benefit; if he is aware that this group, due to historically favourable circumstances in the housing market may have had the means to purchase a house, pay off a mortgage or accumulate savings and as such fail the means-test or qualify for a reduced rate of jobseeker’s allowance; if he is aware that this group are often women who historically worked part-time in order to do unpaid care work, who often worked for minimum wage their entire career and whose spouse/civil partner/qualified cohabitant’s income means they fail the means-test or qualify for a reduced rate of jobseeker’s allowance; if he is aware of the hardship incurred on these groups as a result of the limitations of jobseeker’s pay-related benefit; if he will consider extending the scheme to include more of those who fall into former group; if he will consider raising the minimum rate of jobseeker’s pay-related benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33104/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit has replaced Jobseeker's Benefit for people who have become fully unemployed since 31 March 2025 and who meet the statutory conditions for the scheme. On 7 June 2025, some 11,900 Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit claims were awarded.The purpose of the Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit is to provide a financial cushion when a person loses their employment. It allows them to adjust to a period of uncertainty associated with unemployment. The scheme aims to support a person during this initial period while they seek alternative employment and adjust their outgoings.A person must meet certain PRSI contribution requirements in order to qualify for the Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit scheme, and the rate of payment is linked directly to a person's earnings, subject to maximum rates depending on prior contributions. Earnings in the 12 month period 8 weeks prior to a person becoming unemployment are used to calculate the rate of payment.Under the scheme, the weekly rate of payment for a person with at least five years paid PRSI contributions is set at 60% of previous earnings, up to a maximum of €450 for the first three months. After that, the rate will be set at 55% of previous earnings up to a maximum of €375 for the following three months. A further three months will be paid at the rate of 50%, up to a maximum €300 payment.For people who have between two and five years paid contributions, the rate is set at 50% of previous earnings, up to a maximum of €300 per week and for up to six months. The minimum rate of payment for the scheme is €125 per week, compared to €109.50 for Jobseeker's Benefit.A person can apply for the means-tested Jobseeker's Allowance if they do not meet the contribution conditions for Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit, exhaust their entitlement to that scheme, or where it would be more financially beneficial for them to do so. Social welfare legislation provides that, for means tested social assistance schemes, all income and capital (such as savings, investments and property other than the family home) belonging to the claimant and his or her spouse/partner, where applicable, are assessable for means assessment purposes. This is the case even if only one of the couple is actually claiming a payment. The purpose of the means test is to ensure those individuals and couples with limited or no income or assets receive the most support from the State, while those with higher levels of income or assets provide for their own needs to a greater extent. Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. The payment is available to anyone who needs it and qualifies, whether the person is currently receiving a social welfare payment or working on a low income.I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.