Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2026
76. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people in receipt of unemployment benefits who have faced a reduction in their payments due to non-participation in required training, work experience, or attendance at Department of Social Protection meetings in the years 2020 to 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15520/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraA Jobseeker payment is conditional on the recipient being available for, capable of and genuinely seeking work. This reflects the concept of ‘rights and responsibilities’ whereby people who are unemployed have the right to an income support from the State and a right to be supported in their efforts to secure employment, but also have a responsibility to seek employment and to engage with the employment services offered by the State.
Intreo Employment Services supports jobseekers to find work and there are a wide range of supports on offer in terms of further education, training, upskilling, work placements as well as programmes such as Community Employment and TUS.
Jobseekers who do not engage with the Intreo Employment Service or who fail to participate in appropriate employment interventions can have their jobseeker’s payment reduced and subsequently be disqualified from their payment for up to 9 weeks. They may also have their entitlement to a Jobseekers payment reviewed based on a failure to genuinely seek work.
A reduced rate is a final step in a process to encourage a jobseeker to avail of the employment supports on offer and once a jobseeker resumes engagement with the employment support service, the reduced rate is lifted immediately. The application of a reduced rate and the duration of its application is totally within the control of the claimant.
The table below provides a breakdown of reduced rates applied in the years 2023, 2024 and 2025. It is not possible to provide a breakdown on the reasons why the reduced rate was applied. The Deputy may wish to note that during the period of the Covid 19 pandemic, the application of the reduced rate process was suspended and was gradually re-introduced over the course of 2023. It is possible that a person may have more than one reduced rates applied throughout the course of the year.
|
Year |
Number of reduced rates applied |
|
2023 |
5,235 |
|
2024 |
10,232 |
|
2025 |
11,082 |
I trust this clarifies the matter.
