Major reforms to the welfare system are currently under consideration, according to Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys.
Linking job seekers payments to earnings before unemployment is just one of the considerations as part of a reform to the system.
Plans to reintroduce the requirement for people to collect their benefit payments from a post office is also being considered, in a bid to tackle welfare fraud.
Following the onset of the pandemic, the Jobseeker’s process facilitated payments online. However, this left the system open to abuse.
Moving the process back offline and into post offices would allow business to re-enter local networks, as well as making fraud harder to carry out.
In an interview with the Irish Independent, Minister Humphreys said: “Say, God forbid, somebody dies and the money keeps on going into their account. But if they had to present in the post office, that wouldn’t happen.”
Humphreys told the Independent that the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is being considered as the template in the new system that is currently being examined.
The PUP, which she also revealed would be phased out over the coming year, currently offers between €203 and €350 a week to those who lost their jobs or are out of work due to Covid-19.
It is measured by the amount a person earned before restrictions affected their position.
She said: “What we have at the minute with the PUP is five different bands and I think that we can learn from that,” she said.
“Obviously, we were still in the middle of this pandemic but it’s something I want to bring forward and I’d like to look at proposals.
“I’ve asked my officials to look at that and to come forward with proposals on pay-related benefits.”
Those who rely on the PUP when it is wrapped up will be paid a rate similar to the current €203 Jobseeker’s allowance.
