Since the beginning of year, close to 4,250 people in receipt of Jobseekers' Benefit have had their payments cut.

 

The penalties were imposed for reasons including a refusal to "engage with services," or a refusal to attend meetings. Claimants may also have been unwilling to take part in the relevant training or upskilling courses offered to them.

 

 

A spokeswoman for the department said these jobseekers "can have their payment reduced by €44 per week". 

 

The spokeswoman highlighted too that "the normal rate of payment may be reinstated at any time, if the jobseeker complies, as requested, with the activation measures".

 

However, those who continuously fail to engage with Social Welfare officials, can actually have their payments stopped altogether  for a period of nine weeks.

 

 

The penalties are part of overall Social Welfare payment sanctions which were introduced two years ago as part of a crack-down.

 

A little under 170,000 people - or 7.8 percent of the workforce - are without employment right now. 

 

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