Teenagers living at home with their parents should not be on €188 a week in jobseeker's allowance because it is bad for them, according to Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar.
He refused to make a commitment to reverse the cuts in the allowance, but said he would commit to “continue to reduce youth unemployment which is down substantially this year”.
The Minister said: “I don’t think somebody who is 18 or 19, many of whom are living at home with their parents, should be getting €188 a week. I don’t think that’s good for them.”
The Minister said an OECD report on Wednesday, which said Ireland had the highest rate of young people receiving unemployment in 35 countries, was inaccurate as it referred to 2014. “Youth unemployment in Ireland is now below the OECD average.If there are any increases they will be to young people taking up education and training opportunities.”
Sinn Féin TD John Brady said the cuts in the jobseeker's allowance for those under 26 since 2006 were discriminatory. Those aged 18 to 24 got €100 a week, while 25-year-olds were on €144, and those aged 26 and over got €188.
Mr Brady said young people were subjected to homelessness as a result of many measures, including the cuts in jobseeker’s payment. Mr Varadkar said: “Even though the rates are lower they are still higher than in the North where your party is in power.”
