Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2012
394. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will explain the process of collating data for the first 12 months of the operation of Tús; and when the verification of data will be completed and the precise figures released. [51359/12]
View answerTús is a community work placement initiative designed to provide up to 5,000 opportunities for those on the live register to engage in 52 weeks of work in support of services delivered by community, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations. Since it commenced operations, some 6,784 people, who had been on the live register for 12 months or more, have taken up work placements.
The process for collating data for Tús involves gathering data provided by the 52 Implementing Bodies managing Tús across the 13 divisional areas operated by the Department. A computer-based tracking system has been put in place by the Department to gather data on each person referred by it to each Implementing Body. This system is currently being populated with historic data and the verification of this data will be undertaken when the Department is satisfied that all persons referred have been recorded by the Implementing Bodies. Additionally, to coincide with the new divisional structure of the Department’s services (introduced in the first half of 2012), arrangements for gathering current and historic data in respect of Tús are currently being put in place.
The collation of this data is progressing more slowly than anticipated due to a variety of factors, including, the work involved for external bodies in capturing data from the inception of Tús to the introduction of the computer-based tracking system, changes in the Department’s divisional structure and related personnel changes, resource constraints and priorities associated with the completion of the first set of 12 month contracts for participants.
The Department is considering an evaluation of Tús and anticipates that this task will be undertaken during 2013, depending on the level of resources available. As with all such evaluations, the results will be published.
