Bill offers clarity says Conway

SENATOR Martin Conway has welcomed a provision contained in the Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013, which seeks to remove restrictions on part-time firefighters accessing  jobseekers benefit and jobseekers allowance.

The provision of the bill was debated in the Seanad on Wednesday and Senator Conway stressed the need for “lucidity on this issue”.

“I am acutely aware of the fact that, until now, part-time firefighters have had to cope with insecurity and often found it difficult to access jobseekers payments, due to the system that has been in place. Since 1972, the social welfare system has essentially subsidised the State’s cost of providing a nationwide part-time fire service by allowing persons working as retained firefighters to be exempted from certain conditions to enable them access these schemes,” he said.

He added this Bill is bringing clarity to this situation “so that retained firefighters will no longer be disallowed on the grounds of availability for the days they are on call”.