Penalties on over 280 Mayo unemployed for failing to take steps to find work

Up to 285 unemployed people in Mayo have had their dole payments significantly reduced due to a failure to engage with the county's Intreo Employment Services, it has been revealed.

The services support jobseekers to find work and offer a wide range of supports in terms of further education, training, upskilling, work placements as well as programmes such as Community Employment and TUS.

But a significant number have chosen to opt out of employment interventions despite having their weekly payments of €254 (for people aged 25 or over) reduced to €90 and subsequently being disqualified from their payment for up to nine weeks.

The geographic breakdown of those impacted by cuts to their payments are Ballina (152), Castlebar (73), Westport (50), Belmullet (7) and Achill (3).

The age group from 30 to 39 is where the highest number of sanctions are applying.

Reduced rates were first introduced in 2011 as a means of encouraging jobseekers to engage proactively in finding a job.

But it is clearly not having the desired impact as 11,022 people nationally have had their payments cut.

It is possible that a person may have multiple reduced rates applied throughout the course of the year.

Some observers of the statistics believe the situation points to a vibrancy in the nation's black economy where people can afford to take the hit because they are also 'unofficially' receiving cash payments despite continuing to draw down social welfare.

The reduced rate for customers in receipt of Jobseekers Pay Related Benefit, which applies to those with at least five years of PRSI contributions, is set at 20% of their weekly payment.

That measure came into effect for the first time in March 2025.