I am very conscious of the difficulties which ex-prisoners can face when attempting to get a foothold in the workforce. I also recognise the importance of employment in helping ex-prisoners to re-integrate into the community. My Department administers a wide range of employment support services which are designed to assist and encourage the long-term unemployed and other disadvantaged groups, including ex-offenders, to return to work, training or further education.
The back to work allowance scheme provides incentives and encourages long-term unemployed people, lone parents and certain persons with disabilities, to return to work by allowing them to retain part of their social welfare payment when they take up employment or self-employment. The scheme has been highly successful since its introduction. In order to assist ex-prisoners to take their place in society, periods spent in prison can be used for the purposes of access to this scheme. My Department's employment support service also administers the back to education allowance programme. Periods spent in prison may also be used to facilitate access to this scheme.
In order to ensure the continued relevance of the back to education scheme, my Department is in the process of commissioning an independent comprehensive evaluation of the scheme. This will cover all aspects of the current scheme, including the qualifying requirements, and will form the basis for any future changes to the scheme.
Recent studies have indicated that ex-prisoners may not be fully aware of the employment support options which are available. My Department is in contact with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform with a view to providing user friendly information and contact details to ex-prisoners to enable them to access the employment opportunities which are available. My Department's existing employment support programmes, coupled with a wide range of supports and interventions currently available through other State agencies, can provide a good quality of support to ex-offenders.