Finian McGrath
Question:335. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the Gateway scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24524/14]
View answerTuesday, 10 June 2014
Questions (335)
Written answers
Gateway has been established to provide short-term, quality work opportunities with local authorities for those who are long-term unemployed. A key feature of the initiative is that selection is primarily undertaken by random processes conducted at local level by the Department of Social Protection. Gateway is part of a suite of interventions the Department funds that are designed to meet the priorities established by the Government in Pathways to Work.
Although all Local Authorities have been advised to be flexible with regard to placements and, where possible, to seek to ensure persons are placed within their local area, a customer in receipt of jobseeker’s payment is required to take up reasonable offers of work or training in order to retain entitlement to that payment. The opportunities offered under Gateway fall within that condition. If a reasonable opportunity of work, a work placement or training is refused without good reason, a suspension may be applied to a customer’s social welfare payment in the first instance.