Dole cuts only in ‘extreme cases’ under Government scheme

Dole cuts for younger people who do not take up training, work placements or internship offers under a new Government scheme will only be implemented in extreme cases, Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has said.

Ms Burton was speaking at the launch of the Youth Guarantee scheme which promises all people under the age of 25 will get a job, training or education offer within four months of becoming unemployed or leaving education.

However, those who refuse help from the new Intreo employment support offices, do not attend meetings with the Department of Social Protection, do not accept job, training or work placement offers or do not attend an accepted work placement will have their dole cut. Weekly payments of €100 will be reduced to €75, while people getting €144 will be cut to €111.

Ms Burton also outlined an extension of these sanctions for so called “extreme cases” under-25s. These are people who have been on unemployment benefit for some time and do not show much engagement with Government programmes.

In those cases, the sanctions can be imposed on people who do not accept an opportunity on JobBridge, the national internship scheme which pays people an extra €50 on top of their dole when they take up a placement.

They can also be imposed if people do not upload their CVs on recommended jobs websites. The Youth Guarantee scheme will be fully operational by the end of 2015, and Ms Burton said it will then become a permanent aspect of the welfare system.