Plans to dock people’s dole payments for failing to engage with employment services are “all stick and no carrot”, Social Justice Ireland has warned.

Under a new plan launched by the Government after Budget 25, unemployed people will be fined €90 per week if they do not engage with the Department of Social Protection.

The new fine is nearly double the current €44 a week penalty that was first introduced in 2011.

'All carrot and no stick'

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Social Justice Ireland (SJI) spokesperson Susanne Rogers said the new fine is far too big.

“This is really a question about why people are unable to engage with the system and why these fines are being put in place,” she said.

“It's an extraordinary amount of money to take off somebody who's on €232 a week, which no matter what angle you come at that, is not enough to get by on anyway.

“So I would really look at, well what supports do these individuals need?

“This is all stick and no carrot […] so rather than saying, ‘OK, you know, you're doing a bad thing by not doing these things, we're going to deduct money,’ I think there's a much, much bigger conversation around the back of it.”

Jobseekers

She said authorities should focus on why people are not engaging rather than fining them for it.

“I think you need to look at why people are not engaging,” said Ms Rogers.

“The key thing here is that this is all stick but what's the carrot?

“If money is what makes the world go round, then why are you turning it down?

“So I think this is a bigger conversation about access to transport, access to care, access to childcare, people's mental and physical health and the type of jobs that people are being asked to engage with.”

Fine

This year, around 4,000 people have seen their dole payments reduced for failing to engage with department officials or ­return-to-work schemes.

Under the current system, the €44 reduction remains in place until the jobseeker re-engages with welfare services.

The Irish Independent reports that Minister Humphreys decided to increase the fine because Ireland is close to full employment with many employers seeking extra staff.

The new fine is included in the Social Welfare Bill which has already passed through the Dáil and is now due to be debated in the Seanad today.