The Government has a responsibility to ensure that workers are incentivised to return to the workforce, a Galway TD has said.
Galway East TD Seán Canney said that people coming off Jobseekers Supports need to have an increase in their take home pay when working so that work pays, and they are better off financially when working.
The Independent TD said that issues such as the loss of medical cards, enhanced child benefit, PRSI rates and social housing thresholds all contribute as a disincentive to people joining the workforce.
“Employers need to have access to a workforce and right now it is virtually impossible to get workers,” said Deputy Canney.
“All sectors are under pressure to find workers in construction, homecare, hospitality, and transport to meet current demand.
“There is an opportunity to address these difficulties by adjusting the PRSI for people between €18 to €22k in income, increasing income threshold for medical cards and social housing and allowing the continuation of enhanced child benefit for the first two years of employment for people giving up jobseekers and taking up employment.”
