The five counties most affected as over 10,000 people see jobseekers benefits cut
Over 10,000 people have had their benefits cut since 2023 due to lack of engagement with employment services
10,000 people in receipt of the jobseekers benefit have had their payments cut within the last two years due to lack of engagement with the Government's Intreo employment services.
Following a request to a Parliamentary Question, official figures shown to a Social Democrats TD revealed that welfare payment reductions for those unemployed have doubled since 2023.
The figures provided by the Department of Social Protection show highest numbers of payment reductions were in counties Limerick, Laois, Waterford, Wexford and Louth.
Kildare North Social Democrat TD Aidan Farrelly responded to the figures saying it should be a last resort to cut payments as he believes that employment workers should ensure that people are able to fully engage with the service.
He said: "I completely accept and understand that where people are not showing a genuine interest in returning to work or getting employment that payments need to be considered as part of a measure.
"But it should be part of, and the last step really, in an effort by Intreo offices, by employment workers, to ensure people have the education, the capacity and the availability of supports to ensure they can get employment that works for them."