Jobseeker age discrimination report
Deputy Brady complained that the promised report on discriminatory under-26 jobseeker cuts was overdue. The Tánaiste sought clarification, then said she would correspond with him and noted the Low Pay Commission report had been published.
The Government has committed to a report that deals with the discriminatory cuts to jobseeker's allowance for people under 26 and deals with the impact those cuts have had on our young people. Budget 2017 saw ridiculously tiny increases of €2.70 for those aged between 18 and 24 and €3.80 for 25 year olds. These increases continue the age discrimination started by Fianna Fáil in 2009 and this report was set to be published by the second quarter of this year. Here we are in the last quarter of the year and there is still no report, even though the discriminatory cuts are still intact. There have only been marginal increases for those aged under 26 so can the Tánaiste give a commitment to the report and a date for when it will finally be published?
Comment on this
The report, which has been committed to by the Government, is on the impact of the discriminatory cuts that have been implemented and which were started by Fianna Fáil back in 2009. They targeted our people under 26 by reducing their social welfare payments. It was promised by the second quarter of this year but we have not seen it.