Thousands of people have had social welfare rates cut already this year
Some 3,000 people have had their social welfare rates cut in 2025 for not engaging with unemployment services.
This compares to just 10,200 people in the entirety of 2024.
The data was released to People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy following a parliamentary question to Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary.
The Fianna Fáil Minister argued that 'entitlement to a jobseeker payment is dependent on the recipient being available for, capable of and genuinely seeking work'.
Mr Calleary continued: 'This reflects the concept of 'rights and responsibilities' whereby people who are unemployed have the right to an income support from the State and a right to be supported in their efforts to secure employment, but also have a responsibility to seek employment and to engage with the employment services offered by the State.
'Intreo Employment Services supports jobseekers to find work and there are a wide range of supports on offer in terms of further education, training, upskilling, work placements, as well as programmes such as Community Employment and TUS.'
He further explained that people who do not engage with Intreo could see their benefits reduced and they can be 'subsequently disqualified from their payment for up to nine weeks'.
The amount of money a person's benefit can be docked by each week increased from €44 to €90 in January.
Mr Calleary confirmed to Deputy Murphy that in the first three months of 2025 alone, 3,008 people saw their rates reduced.
There were 10,232 people impacted in the entirety of 2024 and another 5,235 penalised in 2023. There were 888 people penalised in March, 1,360 in February and 760 in January. The number of people who had their money cut in February 2025 was up 169 per cent compared to February 2024, when 505 people were cut.
Minister Calleary continued: "Reduced rates were introduced as a means of encouraging jobseekers to engage proactively with Intreo Employment Services to assist them find a pathway to employment.
'A reduced rate is a final step in a process to encourage a jobseeker to avail of employment supports on offer and once a jobseeker resumes this engagement, the reduced rate is lifted immediately.
'Whether a reduced rate applies and the duration of its application is totally within the control of the claimant.'
Deputy Murphy told the Irish Mirror that he was concerned about the 'sharp increase in the number of people having their supports cut'.
He said: 'We're talking about people here who are trying to pay their bills, many trying to raise a family, while also facing the stress of being temporarily unemployed. They can't afford these cuts.
"My office has also noticed an increased number of people contacting us because they've felt pressured into taking up so-called 'internships' and various 'schemes' which are not relevant or helpful for their careers.
'I am very worried that a Thatcherite agenda is being pursued here, squeezing people's incomes and pushing into JobBridge 2.0 type scams."
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