Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 January 2014
355. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will allow persons who have successfully undertaken a year on the Tús scheme to be able to do a second year if the organisation in which they are based wants them to continue. [2547/14]
View answerTús, the community work placement initiative introduced during 2011, was set up to provide short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. This initiative is being delivered through the network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta. Tús is designed to break the cycle of unemployment, and maintain work readiness thereby improving a person’s opportunities in returning to the labour market.
The duration of the Tús contract was set to reflect a number of inter-related elements. These include the need to ensure that limited numbers of placements available are opened to those on the live register, that weaknesses identified in other work programmes resulting from longer duration placements are not replicated in Tús, optimisation of the resources available, and how Tús fits with the objectives set out in the Government’s activation policies in Pathways to Work.
It also ensures that as many unemployed people as possible are able to benefit from the initiative. As of the week ending 10 January 2014, 7,123 participants were working and in receipt of a payment on Tús. An additional 369 full-time supervisory/team leader personnel had been engaged by the implementing bodies for Tús. Since its inception in July 2011, some 14,642 participants have completed 12 months on Tús.
There are no circumstances under which a person’s term on Tús will be extended beyond 12 months and I consider the existing 12-month period on Tús to be adequate to meet the programme’s objectives.
