Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 September 2014
71. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to set out the up-to-date figures relating to the number of persons participating on the Gateway scheme by council and the number of persons whom have had their payments discontinued for a period following a call-up for the Gateway scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35232/14]
View answer72. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to set out the number of persons who have voluntarily left the live register as a result of being called up to participate on the Gateway scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35233/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 72 together.
Gateway is a work placement initiative provided by county and city councils with the support of the Department of Social Protection. The initiative aims to improve the employability and maintain the work readiness of those who have been unemployed for 24 months or more. Responsibility for delivery of this initiative rests with individual county and city councils. Sufficient resources are available to provide for 3,000 placements in 2014.
The process of identifying work opportunities for Gateway participants and consulting the all the relevant stakeholders, including relevant unions, is a matter for the county and city councils. A variety of tasks have been identified and are being made available to Gateway participants, including a mixture of new opportunities and opportunities to work in services that have not been provided by county and city councils due to the pressure of scarce resources. The types of projects being considered are varied and include village enhancement schemes, landscaping, tourism ambassadors and working in libraries.
Participants are primarily selected by a random process conducted by the Department of Social Protection from those persons in receipt of a jobseekers allowance payment for 24 months or more. Jobseekers may also access Gateway by applying to their local Council or by contacting the Department and, in this context, the Deputy should note that up to 20% of the total cohort may be selected in this manner.
The number of persons participating on Gateway as of 19 September 2014 is set out in the following table. Work is on-going with the Department of the Environment, Community & Local Government and the County and City Management Association to ensure that the target of 3,000 placements will be filled by the end of 2014.
Data collected in respect of 9,433 jobseekers selected to date for Gateway indicates that seven jobseekers were subject to sanctions resulting in the temporary disallowance (up to a maximum of 9 weeks) of their jobseekers’ payments for failure to engage with the initiative. A further 99 jobseekers claims have been closed following engagement between Departmental officials and jobseekers. In some of these cases, a different DSP payment was deemed more appropriate to the individual’s circumstances. Overall, the Deputy should note that no jobseeker will be compelled to take up a Gateway position that would result in a decrease in the value of their family income or impose other hardships. Review processes are ongoing in a number of other cases of jobseekers who have not taken up the offer of engagement on Gateway.
Table 1: Numbers engaged on Gateway as of 19 th September, 2014
|
County or City Council |
Placements filled at 19.09.14 |
|
Carlow Co Co |
14 |
|
Cavan Co Co |
15 |
|
Clare Co Co |
2 |
|
Cork City Co |
17 |
|
Cork Co Co |
14 |
|
Donegal Co Co |
10 |
|
Fingal Co Co |
81 |
|
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Co Co |
15 |
|
Dublin City Co |
15 |
|
Galway City Co |
15 |
|
Galway Co Co |
30 |
|
Kerry Co Co |
15 |
|
Kildare Co Co |
11 |
|
Kilkenny Co Co |
20 |
|
Laois Co Co |
10 |
|
Leitrim Co Co |
25 |
|
Limerick Co Co |
85 |
|
Longford Co Co |
0 |
|
Louth Co Co |
34 |
|
Meath Co Co |
56 |
|
Monaghan Co Co |
23 |
|
Mayo Co Co |
84 |
|
Offaly Co Co |
17 |
|
Roscommon Co Co |
22 |
|
Sligo Co Co |
10 |
|
South Dublin Co Co |
5 |
|
Tipperary Co Co |
35 |
|
Waterford City Co |
0 |
|
Waterford Co Co |
27 |
|
Westmeath Co Co |
31 |
|
Wexford Co Co |
25 |
|
Wicklow Co Co |
19 |
|
TOTAL |
781 |
